It was a bright Sunday morning in Mumbai. Streets were quiet. I could clearly hear the birds chirruping in the hotel garden and the sea waves crashing to the shore. After some light refreshments, I came down to the hotel and headed towards the nearby Chowpatty Beach with a guide. While I was relishing the best of local snacks- bhelpuri, chuski and pao bhaji- my guide told me that it is the best place where the common man comes to eat and be entertained every evening. Chowpatty Beach is the well known holy site where the devotees of lord Ganesha immerse the huge idol after the rituals on Ganesh Chaturthi.
We moved on to other destinations via Marine Drive, the Queen's Necklace. I found the road quite busy. But the best part is that being located at a close proximity to the sea, it lets you the opportunity to enjoy cool sea breeze. Hanging Gardens or the Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens are actual tourist delights in Mumbai. I was simply amazed to see these beautiful gardens built over three reservoirs. These are quite attractive for children. The reservoirs store billions of gallons of water for cleaning before they are pumped to the thirsty city of Mumbai.
In the afternoon, the guide took me to Colaba, which is a popular hub of tourist activity in Mumbai. We had our lunch there in street stalls and moved on to the Fort. Famous for its old Victorian-Gothic buildings, the Fort is an important financial and commercial center. The lifeline of Mumbai 'BSE or Bombay Stock Exchange' is also located in this area on Dalal Street. I also paid short visits to the popular Prince Wales Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Jehangir Art Gallery, which represent the glorious past of Mumbai during the British Rule in India. These are a must to experience because of the rarest collection of art forms, sculptures, rare coins, old firearms and miniature paintings.
While going back to the hotel at around 8:00 pm, I also visited the Crawford Market, named after Arthur Crawford, the first Municipal Commissioner of Bombay. Designed by Lockyard Kipling, father of the famous author Rudyard Kipling, the market is an extraordinary blend of Flemish and Norman architecture. Cherishing the golden memories of Mumbai, the indomitable city, I left for another destination, another adventure !!
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