ABOUT CITY
Mumbai is in all ways a mega-city driven by power, wealth, glamour and fame. It is also a city with strong historical links, wonderful British architecture, museums, beaches, places of worship, and above all, a true galaxy of stars where Bollywood reigns supreme. The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were earlier home to communities of fishing colonies. During the mid-18th century, Bombay was reshaped with the construction of major roads and railways, the reclamation project transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. Upon India’s independence in 1947 the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Sanyukta Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as the capital. The city was renamed Mumbai in 1996. A financial center, it’s India’s largest city. On the Mumbai Harbour waterfront stands the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, built by the British Raj in 1924. Offshore, nearby Elephanta Island holds ancient cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The city’s also famous as the heart of the Bollywood film industry.
