Gateway of India
Mumbai’s most famous landmark, The Gateway of India, is situated at Apollo Bunder. It was designed by George Wikket. and was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911. Through this magnificent monument, numerous viceroys and governors were welcomed to India as they disembarked from their steamers, hence the name. |
Flora Fountain
This is the very heart of Mumbai, circumscribed by stately colonial buildings that stand like proud old sentinels of a bygone era. Flora is the Roman Goddess of Flowers,her pretty alabaster face continually assaulted by grime and pollution. Next to her is a pair of torch bearing stone patriots that rise from the Martyrs Memorial nearby.
Flora Fountain is now called Hutatma Chowk or Martyr’s Square to honour those who died in the tumultuous birth of Maharashtra State. All around the square sit Mumbai’s infamous vendors selling just about everything under the blazing tropical sun. Tooting horns and traffic complete the chaotic picture, but through it all Flora manages to retain her serene composure. |
Haji Ali
This early 18th century shrine contains the tomb of HAZRATH HAJI ALI, a Muslim Sufi saint. There are two local legends which claim to trace the hazrath’s antecedents.
One story has it that Haji Ali was a rich, local businessman who gave up materialism after a visit to Mecca and then took up meditation.
Another legend says that he was an Afghan mystic who lived and meditated here.
He specifically ordered that after his death, his casket should be cast off into the sea off the shore of what is today Pakistan. However, the casket surfaced intact at the spot where the shrine is today.
The Haji Ali shrine is located on a small island on the Arabian Sea. There is a walkway which connects the shore to the shrine. This walkway is the only way to enter the shrine and it can be used only during low tides. High tides and monsoon rains completely cover the walkway. Inside the shrine, there is a courtyard which normally sports a festive, talkative atmosphere.
The structure has typical white, Mughal domes and minarets. Although it is a famous Muslim pilgrimage site, non-Muslim visitors are welcomed. The shrine looks its best when seen from the shore silhouetted against the setting sun. |
Mahalaxmi Temple
This temple is situated very close to the sea off Mahalaxmi. This temple has three beautiful images of Hindu goddesses - Mahalaksmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali which are made of gold. During the Navaratri festival, devoted Hindus throng this temple in great numbers to offer coconut, flowers and sweets to the goddesses. |
The Prince of Wales Museum
Barely a stone’s throw away from the Gateway of India is The Prince of Wales Museum, a magnificent structure, built in a confluence of Gothic and Moorish styled and crowned by a sparkling white dome. It boasts of a good collection of ancient Indus Valley artifacts dating back to 2000 BC, as well as some priceless Tibetan and Nepali art. There is an entire gallery devoted to Buddhist tankha scrolls and another to Tibetan bronzes, but the chief attraction here is the collection of over 2000 miniature paintings from the various art schools of India. Next to the Museum is the Bombay Natural History Society, which has an extensive collection of local flora and fauna. |
Elephanta Caves
The Elephanta Caves are a great tourist attraction in the vicinity of the large Mumbai metropolis. The Elephanta Island is located 10 kms away from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. These caves house rock cut temples dating back to the 5th century BC.
The Elephanta Island was so named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island. These rock cut temples dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva are rich in sculptural content. Motorboats ferry passengers from Apollo Bunder near the Gateway of India to the Elephanta Caves. |
