Mumbai is the jewel of India and has the bollywood industry which is well known all around the world. Throbbing and bustling with life, Mumbai is a big and exciting city. With the largest port, two airports, a colossal film industry churning out the largest number of full- length feature films, a concentration of the textile industry, and with numerous towering sky-scrapers, Mumbai is certainly the power-house of India. Mumbai once consisted of a group of marshy and sunken islands given by the Portuguese to the British as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married England’s Charles II in 1661. The British joined the islands together and now Mumbai is the seventh largest city in the world.

Sailing into Mumbai one sees its first landmark — the Gateway of India. A massive archway of yellow basalt, it has designs resembling those of the 16th century Muslim monuments in Gujarat.The Marine Drive, which sweeps in a crescent along the city’s long foam-flecked beach, shines brilliantlywith the coming of.maharashtra, bombay, mumbai, sailing into mumbai,elephanta caves,mimbai port,mumbai history,tourism inmumbai,shopping in mumbai,india's

business capital,gateway of india,mumbai capital of maharshtra the night, hence its other name ‘the Queen’s Necklace’. The Taraporewalla Aquarium on the Marine Drive is worth a visit for its fresh and saltwater marine life. A temple, said to be a thousand years old and dedicated to Lord Shiva, stands on the Malabar Hill. The Hanging Gardens, also on top of the Malabar Hill were laid out in 1881 and provide a bird’s eye view of the city.

The beaches which are very popular with holidayers are equally delightful — from the oft-frequented ones of the Juhu and Chowpatty to the private ones of Marve Aksa, Erangal, Madh-Silver Sands and various others.

ACCESS

Mumbai is excellently connected by air, rail and road. One of India’s principal gateway cities, it has an international airport with flights to and from the world’s major capitals while Indian Airlines and Indian Railways link it with all important towns and cities throughout India.

PLACES OF INTEREST

The Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, St. John’s Church, the Prince of Wales Museum, the Flora Fountain, the Horniman Circle, the Marine Drive, the Taraporewalla Aquarium, the Malabar Hill, the Chowpatty Beach, the Jain Temple, the Hanging Gardens, the Kamala Nehru Park, the Towers of Silence, the Mahalakshmi Temple, Haji Ali’s Tomb, the Victoria Gardens, and the Nehru Planetarium.

EXCURSIONS
The Elephanta Caves (10 km) with its four rock-cut temples dating from 450 to 750 AD, Juhu Beach(18 km), Kanheri Caves (42 km) -- an assemblage of 109 Buddhist caves dating from the 2nd to the 9th century AD, Bassein -- a fortified 16th century Portuguese city, Chaul -- another Portuguese settlement of the 16th century, Matheran (171 Km) -- the nearest hill station to Mumbai, and Lonavala -- a base for a visit to the Karla and Bhaja rock-cut caves of the 1st century BC.

SHOPPING

Mumbai is a shopper’s delight, where sophisticated shops display rows of gleaming brass and copper items, trinkets and intricately carved silver jewellery, the best of gold and precious stones. In fact Mumbai exports the largest number of cut and uncut diamonds, as well as exquisite jewellery. Mumbai also has a legion of colourful boutiques where one can buy anything from crisp cottons to burnished silks at reasonable prices. In Chor Bazar or ‘thieves market’ one can rummage through piles of junk jewellery and find an antique silver goblet underneath. In Chor Bazar one also finds china, delicate crystal, ivory sculptures, and rosewood furniture. The main shops and shopping areas of Mumbai are Phulkari; Punjab Government Emporium; Chinar, Jammu and Kashmir Government Showroom; Gangotri, Uttar Pradesh Government Emporium; Mrignaynee, Madhya Pradesh Handicrafts Board.

Areas: Bhuleshwar, Jhaveri Bazar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market (Crawford Market), Mangaldass Market, Pherozeshah Mehta Road, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road.

CONFERNCE FACILITIES

Mumbai, the commercial and business city of India, also offers some excellent conference facilities.

The Centaur Hotel Juhu Beach can accommodate 700 people (theatre style) in its Harbour Hall, 40 people in Anchor Room and 25 in Shell Room. The Oberoi Towers has a seating capacity of 800 (theatre style) in its Regal Room. The Taj Mahal and the Taj Mahal Intercontinental together offer the Ball Room, the Crystal Room, the Gateway Room, the Apollo Room and the Princess Room with capacities ranging from 30 to 500 people theatre style. The Leela Kempinski offers conference facilities at Ball Room I, II, III, IV and V with a seating capacity of 150, 250, 150, 85, & 75 respectively. The Nehru Centre can host large conferences and has exhibition halls, too.