MUMBAI (BOMBAY)
Mumbai unites all of India's languages, religions, ethnicity's, castles, and classes into one heaving, seething sizzler of a metropolis. Rupee and dollar billionaires, film stars, models, and politicians flock to frolic at the city's hotels, discos, and restaurants. But Mumbai is by no means all glamor and glitz. The city is also home to more impoverished people than any other Indian city; the shantytown at Dharavi has become Asia's (and perhaps the world's) largest slum.
Mumbai sprang from modest roots. When the Portuguese acquired the islands in 1534, they called them Bom Bahia ("Good Port"); subsequently, Mumbai entered the hands of Charles II of England as a part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry. In 1687, Bombay became the capital of the East India Company's regional holdings.
After India's independence, disputes between the Marathi and Gujarati-speaking populations ended in the partition of Bombay State into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960. Even during conflict, the economy boomed, as it continues to do today. In 1995, politicians gave the city a new official name - Mumbai, from Mumbadevi, the local incarnation of the goddess Durga.
Today, the city makes the most movies in India, and India makes far more movies than any other place on earth - a fact that earned the local film industry its nickname, "Bollywood." The manic mix of London double-deckers and bullock carts, sadhus and stockbrokers, and the perpetual motion of it all is enough to floor first-time visitors. Mumbai defies stereotypes of and India filled with pot-bellied cows and ramshackle temples, though it has plenty of both. Instead, the city forces travellers to face an explosive fusion of development and despair.
MUM'S THE WORD
Most tourists spin or stroll down Nataji Sub - has Chandra Bose Rd. in Mumbai without even realizing it. They, like all the city's residents, know this street by its colonial name, Marine Drive. The new street names may be patriotic, but people continue to rebel against today's authorities by refusing to relinquish the street names of past oppressors. Napean Sea Rd. is never Laxmibhai Jagmohandas Marg; even the bus conductors say Ridge Rd. for Bal Gangadhar Kher Marg. Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg elicits blank stares from taxi drivers - but everyone recognizes Colaba Causeway. On the rare occasions when Mumbai's citizens do accept the new names, the names are inevitably abbreviated beyond recognition: Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Rd. becomes PM rd.; Doctor Dadabhoy Naoroji barely escapes as Dr. DN.
Mumbai's name game developed from small-scale civil disobedience against bit-time politics. The Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena party, senior partners in the state's coalition government at the time, exerted their political control by renaming as many locations as possible, in accordance with Marathi names. In 1995, the Sena caused their biggest stir when they renamed the whole city Mumbai, derived from its "traditional" Marathi name, Mumbadevi. Residents and visitors alike can't seem to agree on which name to use, and most are interchangeable. Cheeky urbanites seem to have invented their own name for the city, laconically dubbing it "Slumbai."
TRANSPORTATION
LOCAL BUSES
Trains are easier to deal with than buses, but if you're going to be in town for a while, it's worth the (Herculean) effort required to come to terms with the city's chaotic bus system. For a complete guide to stops and routes, pick up a city bus map (Rs20) from the bus terminal office on Colaba Causeway (open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm). Try to learn the Marathi numerals so that you can recognize the bus as it approaches (the Roman numeral and English destination are only written on the side - often visible too late to allow you to clamber on board before the bus roars off again). Red numbers indicate "limited" services,which supposedly stop less frequently and cost marginally less. No fare within the city should exceed Rs3, limited or otherwise.
LOCAL TRAINS
Mumbai's commuter rail system runs along two lines. Western Railways runs one line form Churchgate through Mumbai Central, Mahalaxmi, Dadar, Bandra, and a dozen other stations before and beyond. The Central Railways line runs to and from VT (check the final destination; be sure you're on the right line) and tends to be of less use to the tourist. Most trains out of VT stop at Dadar, where you can cross the platform and change onto a Western train. One-way tickets (2nd class Rs3 - 10, 1st class Rs8 - 32) are sold at windows in each station. When boarding a train, check the illuminated display - the first letter code is the first letter of the final destination, the second code is the time, and the "F" or "S" indicates whether the train is (relatively) fast or (especially) slow. Fast trains skip the stations whose names that are lit up brightly are the places it does not go. There are special, less crowded cars exclusively for women on all trains.
TAXIS
Taxis rule in Mumbai, since auto-rickshaws aren't allowed in the downtown area and public transport is so crowded. Set the meter and go - this shouldn't be too much of a struggle unless it's very late or the weather's very bad. You pay roughly Rs16 per km - for the precise figure, consult the chart that the driver should carry.
Auto-rickshaws only roam the suburbs; you pay about seven times the meter.
ORIENTATION
The city of Mumbai reaches into the Arabian Sea like a cupped hand, the fingers and thumb forming a backward letter "c" off the Western coast of India. For purposes of orientation, it is more important to familiarize yourself with the names of the city's different areas than specific street addresses, as most locals (and taxi drivers) navigate and give directions according to the names of neighborhoods. and well-known landmarks. At the fingertip of Colaba, toward the southern end of the city, is the tourist ghetto. The area's main thoroughfare, Colaba Causeway (also known as SBS Marg), is where you'll find most of the budget accommodations and lost-looking backpackers. The Causeway ends in the north at a huge, circular intersection universally known as Regal because of the movie theater that presides over it. Directly west of Regal, jutting into the bay, are Cuffe Parade, an elite residential area, and Nariman Point, Mumbai's most prestigious corporate address, housing the offices of many international banks, airlines and a few consulates. North of Regal, past the Prince of Wales Museum, stretches Fort, Mumbai's oldest neighborhood and its main financial district. Banks cluster near its most prominent landmark, Flora Fountain (Hutatma Chowk).
West of Fort and north of Nariman Point is the Churchgate neighborhood, where you'll find the Churchgate railway station and several trendy restaurants. Marine Drive (Nataji Subhash Rd.) runs along the western edge of the city, curving from Nariman Point in the south to Churchgate in the north, and farther still to Chowpatty Beach. North of Chowpatty are the upmarket Malabar Hill community and the northern suburbs.
LOCAL SERVICES
CROSSWORD BOOKSTORE, Mahalaxmi Chambers, 1st fl., 22 Bhulabhai Desai Rd., Breach Candy.
Look up for the yellow sign in the window.
Open: Monday - Friday 10am - 8pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am - 9pm.
Tel: 24 - 92 - 48 - 82
THE STRAND BOOK STALL, Sir PM Rd., Fort. Just above Horniman Cir.
Favorite of the Mumbai intelligentsia, the Strand's crowded collection is hand-picked. Search carefully for discounts.
Open: Monday - Saturday 10am - 7pm.
Tel: 22 - 66 - 19 - 94
NALANDA, Taj Mahal Hotel, 1st fl.
A fine selection of fiction, travel, and ethnographic literature.
Open: daily 8am - midnight.
Tel: 22 -02 - 25 - 14
M PHULE MARKET, north end of Dr. DN Rd.
Universally known as Crawford Market. Anything from kitchen supplies and vegetables to puppies and European chocolates.
Open: Monday - Saturday 6am - 6pm.
EMERGENCY AND COMMUNICATIONS
PHARMACY: New Bombay Chemists, Churchgate.
Opposite the cinema and next to the hospital.
Open: daily 8am - 11pm.
Tel: 22 - 00 - 11 - 73
REAL CHEMIST, 50/51 Kaka Arcade.
Open: 24 hours.
Tel: 22 - 00 - 24 - 97
HOSPITAL: BREACH CANDY HOSPITAL, 60 Warden Rd., Breach Candy.
Just past the American Consulate and the Breach Candy Swimming Club, Not near Colaba, but one of the most modern hospitals in Mumbai and accustomed to dealing with foreigners.
Open: 24 hours.
Tel: 23 - 63 - 36 - 51
BOMBAY HOSPITAL, 12 New Marine Lines.
Modern, established, and centrally located.
Open: 24 hours.
Tel: 22 - 06 - 76 - 76
ACCOMMODATIONS
Most foreign tourists gravitate toward the peaceful, crumbling mansions of Colaba despite the area's proximity to Gateway of India touts and the (decidedly non-budget) Taj Mahal Hotel. Mumbai real estate being what it is, "budget" means something entirely different in this city from what it means elsewhere in India. Even bottom-of-the -barrel digs charge rates that would mortify any self-respecting budget traveller. Reservations are a good idea at any time, especially in season November - February. Check-out is noon unless otherwise noted. Most hotels have a variety of rooms ranging from windowless cells to comfortable, airy digs.
YWCA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, 18 Madam Cama Rd.
A 4 minute walk from Regal, on the left. Second fl. Open to men and women. Although it's more expensive than most budget hotels, you get your money's worth at the Y. Rates include all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and dinner, TV lounge, daily room cleaning, telephones, and towels in spotless, spacious rooms with balconies. All have attached bath. Reserve 15 days in advance.
Rs100 membership fee (good for 6 months).
Dorms Rs625, singles Rs700, doubles Rs1300, triples and family rooms up to Rs3200.
If reserved ahead: dorms Rs800, singles Rs900, doubles Rs1650.
Tel: 22 - 02 - 50 - 53 or 22 - 02 - 05 - 98
SALVATION ARMY, 30 Mereweather Rd., Boman Behram Marg.
Behind the Taj Mahal Hotel, under the arcade. Pistachio-green walls make it as drab and institutional as you'd expect, but if you're on a budget nothing beats it. Passable dorms and large, nondescript doubles. Breakfast included. No hot water. Lockers Rs50 per day. Maximum 1-week stay.
Check-in 10am. Check-out 9am.
Dorms Rs135; doubles with or without bath Rs505 - 585 with 3 meals included.
Tel: 22 - 84 - 18 - 24
HOTEL SEA SHORE, 1-49 Kamal Mansion, 4th fl., Arthur Bunder Rd./Haji Niyaz Ahmed Azhi Marg.
From Regal, follow the Causeway to Arthur Bunder, 9 blocks down on the left. The entrance to Kamal Mansion is on the right, sown an alley before Arthur Bunder hits the ocean. The rooms range from claustrophobic cubicles to large, airy, ocean-view suites. Sparkling common bath.
Singles Rs350; doubles with TV Rs450 - 500.
Tel: 22 - 87 - 42 - 37 or 22 - 87 - 42 - 38
HOTEL LAWRENCE, 3rd fl., ITTS House, 33 Sri Sai Babi Marg, Rope Walk Ln.
First left off K. Dubash Marg when coming from B.G. Rd., just past the Saniuk Thai restaurant. Nine clean, airy rooms with shared bath and friendly, helpful staff. Breakfast included. Hot water upon request. Reserve 3 weeks in advance.
Singles Rs400; doubles Rs500; triples Rs700.
Tel: 22 - 84 - 36 - 18
HOTEL PROSSER'S, Curzon House, 2-4 Henry Rd., Apollo Bunder Rd.
Located where Henry Rd. (the 6th left off the Causeway, south of Regal) meets the sea. High ceilings and spacious rooms. Common bath. 24 hour check-in. Noon check-out.
Singles or doubles Rs400 - Rs600. Off season Rs350 - Rs550.
Tel: 22 - 84 - 17 - 15
INDIA GUEST HOUSE, 1-39 Kamal Mansion.
All rooms with common bath. Thin walls afford limited privacy.
Singles Rs300; doubles with window Rs450, without window Rs400; triples Rs550.
Tel: 22 - 83 - 37 - 69
HOTEL CARLTON, Florence House, 12 Mereweather Rd., Boman Behram Marg.
One block away from the Salvation Army, behind the Taj. The lively veranda, equipped with chairs and tables, allows residents to escape their cramped quarters for a glimpse of cat house life across the street.
Singles Rs350; doubles Rs550 - Rs600; triples with A/C and bath Rs1200; quads Rs900.
Tel: 22 - 02 - 06 - 42 or 22 - 02 - 02 - 59
BENTLEY'S HOTEL, 17 Oliver Rd.
A peaceful refuge from Mumbai's bustle - vintage rooms with hardwood floors, white-washed balconies, and mosaic tiling. Individual baths, TV's and breakfast included in price. 70 beds total.
Singles Rs955, with A/C Rs1130; doubles Rs1220, with A/C Rs1420.
Tel: 22 - 84 - 14 - 74 or 22 - 84 - 17 - 33
FOOD
Eating in Mumbai can result in anything from gastronomical delight to gastrointestinal distress. The distinctive street food is a constant temptation, and the city's restaurants brim with the best international food in India, as well as every conceivable type of Indian cuisine, including a few (Parsi, Malvani) not to be found anywhere else. Not surprisingly, the Good Port of Mumbai is also renowned for its seafood. There is no better place to splurge on your meals. Serious eaters should refer to the Mid-Day Good Food Guide (Rs50). Some Mumbai specialties are pao bhaji, batter-fried balls of potato and chilies served on white bread, and puri, innocent-looking fried pastry shells, which come in two varieties - flat and disc-like or hollow and spherical - and can be filled with anything from green chutney, tamarind sauce, chile paste, fried vermicelli and puffed rice to potato, tomato, onion, green mango, and coriander.
FORT CENTRAL VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT, Cawasji Patel Rd., Fort
From Flora, take VN Rd. away from Churchgate and turn left onto C. Patel. Spicy Punjabi food at its best. Great service. Delectable masala dosa Rs14, main dishes Rs24 - Rs50.
Open: daily 8:30am - 11:30pm.
Tel: 22 - 87 - 00 - 80
TRISHNA RESTAURANT, 7 Sri Sai Baba Marg.
Follow Dr. VB Gandhi Marg past Rhythm House, turn left at the first intersection and walk 2 blocks; its on the right. Trishna started out as a food stall, and by word of mouth became Mumbai's trendiest seafood restaurant. Freakishly-sized shellfish at rock-bottom prices. Pomfret (enough for two) Rs300; crisp calamari Rs130. Reservations essential for dinner.
Open: Monday - Saturday, noon - 4pm and 6pm - midnight, Sunday noon - 4pm and 7pm - midnight.
Tel: 22 - 67 - 21 - 76 or 22 - 65 - 96 - 44
PICADILLY LEBANESE FOOD, Donald House, Colaba Causeway.
Next to Kamat and across from bus station. Stunning Lebanese cuisine at low prices. Falafel roll Rs40; homemade hummus Rs50. Also offers American fare including veggie burger Rs45.
Open: daily 8am - 11pm.
Tel: 22 - 82 - 32 - 17
OLYMPIA RESTAURANT AND COFFEE HOUSE, Rahim Mansion.
Opposite Leopld Cafe, Colaba Causeway. Time stands still in this 2-tiered, turn-of-the-century, Iranian-style cafe. Brain masala fry (Rs27) is their most famous dish, but no-brainers will also be satisfied. Mutton biryani Rs15.
Open: daily 11am - 11pm.
SAHAKARI BHANDAR, to the right as you face the Regal cinema.
Don't let the garish, pseudo-western sign out front deter you from entering this fast and friendly snack joint. A convenient and dependable place for bhel puri (Rs14 - Rs16) and pao bhaji (Rs24). Don't miss the chickoo milkshake (Rs25). Great, cheap South Indian tiffin (dosas Rs15).
Open: Monday - Saturday 8am - 9pm.
MAJESTIC, Colaba Causeway.
Opposite Mondegar', up a few stairs. Proves that there is such a thing as budget in Mumbai. Simple dishes (Rs18 - Rs50) and basic thalis (Rs25) served in a huge hall with low tables under whirring fans.
Open: daily 7am - 11pm.
KAMAT VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT, Colaba Causeway.
Opposite Electric House. The self-proclaimed specialists in South Indian delicacies and North Indian dishes serve a wide variety of dosas (Rs20 - Rs48), great thalis Rs35, Kashmiri dum aloo (Rs55).
Open: daily 8:30am - 9pm.
Tel: 22 - 87 - 47 - 34
CAFE CHURCHILL, Colaba Causeway, between Walton and Garden Rd.
This tiny, brightly colored cafe serves American snacks that taste better and cost less than those at the bigger tourist hangouts in the area. All-day breakfast skillets Rs40 - Rs60; sandwiches Rs40 - Rs60; brownies and cakes Rs25 - Rs50.
Open: daily 10am - 11:30pm.
KHYBER RESTAURANT, 145 MG Rd.
Where MG Rd. meets K. Dubash Marg. The finest Mughlai cuisine in all the city served amid lavish antiques and mirrors. Chicken makhanwala (Rs275) in thick, tangy tomato sauce; chicken badami (Rs275) is superb. Reservations a must.
Open: daily 12:30pm - 3:45pm and 7:30pm - 11:45pm.
Tel: 22 - 67 - 32 - 27
SANUK ORIENTAL, 30 K. Dubash Marg.
Classy Thai food. Meat and Vegetable curries Rs180 - Rs280. Pad thai Rs120 - Rs220.
Chinese lunch buffet Rs250. Reservations recommended.
Open: daily 12:30pm - 3:30pm and 7:30pm - 11:30pm.
Tel: 22 - 04 - 42 - 33
ENTERTAINMENT
NEHRU CENTRE, Dr. Annie Besant Rd.
Is the same complex as the Nehru Planetarium, on the right just past the Mahalaxmi race course. Indian and Western classical music and theatre.
The Planetarium within has English shows Tuesday - Saturday at 3pm and 6pm, Rs 10.
Tel: 24 - 92 - 05 - 10
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, Marine Drive.
At the very tip of Nariman Pt.., just beyond the Oberoi. The compound houses a main theater, an experimental theater, and a third venue scheduled to open soon. More European and American offerings than at the Nehru, but good Indian music and theater, too.
Tel: 22 - 83 - 37 - 37
PRITHVI THEATRE, Janki-Kutir, Juhu-Church Rd.
Along a lane that juts off the main road leading to the Juhu bus station. The theater hall here is a city legend and one of Mumbai's most popular, with performances in many languages.
Tickets Rs100. Call for dates and times of English shows.
Tel: 26 - 14 - 95 - 46
NIGHTLIFE
Unlike most cities in India, Mumbai knows how to party. International partiers pack the city's pubs and discos in search of the next "in" thing. Beware of the pervasive "couples only" policies on busy nights (although only single men are likely to be turned away), and the occasional refusal or dirty-looking T-shirted or sandal-clad travellers. Bars and clubs in Mumbai tend to close by 1am - 2am, causing a mass exodus to the 24 hour coffee shops at luxury hotels.
THE GHETTO, 30 Bhulabhai Desai Rd., Breach Candy.
Located in an alley on the seaward side of the road, just before Mahalaxmi. Photos of the Edge and Jim Morrison, and loads of graffiti adorn the walls of this popular, yuppie-filled bar. Great atmosphere and music make this worth the Rs70 taxi ride from Colaba. Beer Rs100, spirits Rs70 and up.
Open: daily 7pm - 1:30am.
Tel: 24 - 92 - 15 - 56
MOCHA, 82 VN Rd., near Marine Dr., Nagin Mahal.
Split into two venues, Mocha offers coffee, wraps (Rs250), and conversations on a breezy patio. The A/C bar inside serves wine (bottles Rs700 - Rs13,500) and tapas (Rs75 - Rs220). Urban sophisticates and artistes gather for sangria (pitcher Rs775) and puffs of sheesha on the many hookahs.
Open: daily 9:30am - 2:30am.
Tel: 56 - 33 - 60 - 70
LEOPOLD CAFE, Colaba Causeway, Colaba.
3 blocks down from Regal, on the left. The ultimate tourist hangout. The dimly lit A/C bar upstairs hosts the serious drinkers. Beer Rs130; pitchers Rs200.
Open: daily 1pm - 1am. Downstairs open daily 8am - 11pm.
Tel: 22 - 02 - 01 - 31
INSOMNIA, in the Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba.
Test just how cool you are in the Taj's new brushed steel hipper-than-thou club, which attracts Mumbai's young heirs and hipsters in droves, despite the staggering Rs550 cover.
Open: daily 9pm - 3am. Friday - Saturday is especially crowded.
Tel: 22 - 02 - 33 - 66
NOT JUST JAZZ BY THE BAY, 143 Marine Dr.
Right next to the Pizzeria, at the corner with Veer Narimar Rd. Caters to expats and the local elite, although it might as well be in London or New York. The "Jazz's" great food, A/C, and live music every night compensate for the steep prices. Beer Rs130; spirits Rs150 - Rs300. Cover Rs150.
Open: daily 11am - 2pm and 6pm - 1:30am. Reservations necessary on Friday and Saturday nights.
Tel: 22 - 85 - 18 - 76 or 22 - 82 - 09 - 57
VOODOO, Arthur Bunder Rd., Colaba.
4 doors up on the left from the sea front. A dive for desperate straight men during the week, Voodoo transforms into Mumbai's only above-ground gay disco on Saturday nights. India's most famous gay rights activist, Ashok Rao Kavi, is a regular. Beer Rs65. Cover Rs180.
Open: daily 7pm - 1:30am. |
