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India >Maharashtra > Bombay > introduction.
| B O M B A Y |
Bombay
Travel Guide>> Destination guide and tourist information on Bombay , sightseeing in
Bombay and Bombay nightlife, Gateway of India, Crawford Market, Bollywood, Haji Ali, VT,
Churchgate, Juhu, Chowpatty, Marine Drive, Malabar Hills
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| Bombay,
or Mumbai to call it by the name its now known by, was a swampy, mosquito infested, marshy
island off the west coast of India with little or no potential, or so thought the
Portuguese when they gave it to Charles II of England as part of the dowry of Catherine of
Braganza. How very stupid of them! The British East India Company leased it from the
Crown, and developed the small fishing villages and natural harbours into Bombay, the
subcontinent’s busiest port and the region’s centre for trade, finance and
industry. |
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Maharashtra’s capital, Bombay, wears several hats or should we say crowns? Bombay is
not just India’s largest city, it is also its commercial capital, industrial
powerhouse, busiest port, fashion capital, home to ‘Bollywood’ (India’s
Hollywood), world’s biggest textile market – the list goes on and on. |
Bombay thrives on contrasts- the city is home to the richest and the poorest of
Indians, sleek limousines jostle rusty cycles, red double-decker buses rumble past
three-wheeler auto-rickshaws; impressive high rises soar above crowded ugly slums and
shanty towns; glitzy shop fronts amid pavement stalls; glamorous film stars and homeless
beggars demand attention at traffic lights and amidst all this are people, people, people
everywhere, for Bombay is home to some 13 million Indians.
Like a giant magnet, Bombay draws
people from all walks of life - traders and artisans, musicians and movie stars, peasants
and industrialists, entrepreneurs and executives, students and dropouts. In fact, any
Indian with a dream heads for Bombay and this pulsating, cosmopolitan, multicultural city
of opportunity folds them all to its bosom. Bombay is like little bits of India all rolled
into one sprawling city. So, don’t just pass through as you head for Rajasthan or
Goa, but stay awhile in Bombay. Explore its sights and soul – the promise of a heady
experience awaits you. |
F A C
T B O X |
| Area |
440
sq km |
| Population |
13 million (approx.) |
| Language |
Marathi, Hindi, English, Gujarati |
| Religion |
Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Christian, Parsi |
State |
Maharashtra |
More tourist information on Bombay, click on the links
below or on the right panel.
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