Mumbai, Information about Mumbai, Mumbai Tour

The main tourist attraction in Mumbai are the Afghan Church, Chowpatty Beach, Gateway of India, Haji Ali Mosque, Hutatma Chowk, Jain Temple, Kamla Nehru Park, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market, Malabar Hill, Mani Bhavan (Gandhi Memorial), Netaji Subhash Road (Marine Drive), Pherozshah Mehta Gardens (Hanging Gardens), Race Course, Taraporewala Aquarium, Victoria Terminus, Bombay Natural History Society and Prince of Wales Museum.

Afghan Church
The Afghan Church is situated at a distance of about 4.5 kms. This church is dedicated to the British soldiers who fell in the Sindh and Afghan campaigns of 1838 and 1843. This church is also known as St. John’s Church and was built in 1847.

Chowpatty Beach
Chowpatty Beach is situated at a distance of about 4 kms. This is a very popular beach where festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions are celebrated. On this beach, little kiosks sell Bombay’s special snacks, Bhelpuri, Kulfi, balloons and flowers. Besides this, one can also find professional masseurs, pony riders, beebee-gun shooting galleries, snake charmers, monkey trainers, etc. On the beach there are statues of India’s freedom fighters, Lokmanya Tilak and Vithalbhai Patel who symbolize the freedom struggle. This beach also occupies a special place in the life of Bombay, as it was the venue of mass political meetings in the pre – independence era.

Gateway of India
The Gateway of India is the 26 meters high stone archway, situated at a distance of about 2.4 kms. This gateway is the first landmark of Bombay which a visitor sees when arriving by ship. The Gateway of India was designed by Witted in the 16th century Gujarat style. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911. It also welcomed various viceroys, governors and top civil servants as they disembarked by launch from their P & O steamers. An equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Swami Vivekananda have been installed here.

Haji Ali Mosque
The Haji Ali Mosque is situated at a distance of about 7.3 kms. This mosque is the tomb of a Muslim saint who died while on pilgrimage to Mecca. It is believed that a casket containing his mortal remains floated and came to rest on a rocky bed in the sea, where devotees constructed the tomb and mosque. The casket can be seen only during the low tide.

Jain Temple
The Jain Temple was built in marble in 1904. The Jain temple is dedicated to Adinath, the first Tirthankara or apostle. The walls of the temple are adorned with colourful paintings which depict various incidents in the lives of the 24 Tirthankaras of the Jain religion. On the first floor is a special shrine dedicated to Parsvanath and carved out of black marble. The ceiling shows the different planets as personified in Hindu mythology.

Kamla Nehru Park
Kamla Nehru Park is situated on the slopes of Malabar Hill. It is mainly a children’s park and was named after Kamla Nehru, the wife of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. The garden was laid in 1952 and offers a panoramic view of Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach.

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market was earlier known as Crawford Market. This market was constructed in 1867. This is mainly a fresh produce wholesale market with shops selling flowers, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. There is a fountain laid by Lockwood Kipling (father of Rudyard Kipling) in the centre of the market.

Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill is the posh area of Mumbai. This area has attractive residences, including the Chief Minister’s house and a palatial state guesthouse. The ruins of Walkeshwar temple built between 810 and 1260 AD is also situated on this hill. It is also believed that Lord Ram on his way to rescue his wife Sita, stopped here and made a lingam out of sand to worship Lord Shiva.

Mani Bhavan (Gandhi Memorial)
Mani Bhavan or Gandhi Memorial is dedicated to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. He used to stay at House No. 19, called Mani Bhavan between 1917 and 1934. He was arrested here in 1932 and taken off for one of his many prison terms. The building now contains a pictorial gallery, a 20,000 volume research library, a film and recording archive and a set of diorama on the Mahatma’s life.

Netaji Subhash Road (Marine Drive)
Netaji Subhash Road is also Known as the Queen’s Necklace or Marine Drive. This place is located along the waterfront.

Pherozshah Mehta Gardens (Hanging Gardens)
Pherozshah Mehta Gardens are also popularly known as Hanging gardens. These gardens were renamed after the national barrister Pherozshah Mehta. The gardens were laid out in 1881 on top of the reservoir, which supplies water to Mumbai. A special feature of the gardens are the hedges, which are cut into animal shapes. In the morning it is inhabited with people doing yoga or just taking a walk. During sunset one can get a stunning view of the city, harbour and hills beyond. There is also a flower clock here.

Taraporewala Aquarium
Taraporewala Aquarium was opened in 1951 and constructed at a cost of Rs.800,000. This aquarium has interesting specimens of marine and freshwater fish. A pipeline brings water directly from the sea for the marine fish. There are shell, shell craft art and fishery by products on display.

Victoria Terminus
Victoria Terminus, the Mumbai's Central Railway is situated on the northern end of Dr. D.N. Road. The first train steamed out of Bombay from here to Thane in 1853. This is one of the largest building designed by F.W. Stevens in the Gothic style. Its imposing dome is surmounted by a figure symbolizing Progress. A life size statue of Queen Victoria is placed in front of the central façade. The clock on top is 3.19 meters in diameter.

Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society is situated near the Prince of Wales Museum. This is a very different kind of society where collectors have been donating their prize specimens for over a century. One whole floor of Hornbill House, the Society’s headquarters, is devoted to beetles and butterflies, all neatly taxonomies. Another floor contains hundreds of jars full of embalmed reptiles, birds and animals pelts. There is also a extensive library of nature books. There are lectures and slide shows throughout the week.

Prince of Wales Museum
The Prince of Wales Museum was designed in the Indo-Saracenic style. The imposing dome is built in the 15th – 16th century Western Indian style. This museum is named after King George V who as Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone in 1905. It is one of the most interesting museums of India and has three main sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History. It is also known for its collection of Miniature paintings.