Mumbai

Overview

The cosmopolitan capital of Maharashtra, is located in the west of India. Not in the least because of its location and the mark the British left on the city, it changed from a fairly isolated town into a major commercial city with over a million inhabitants. Recently, the government changed the city's former, Anglicised name Bombay, into Mumbai. But what's in a name? Mumbai still is a must for travelers and is, to a certain extent, a match for cities such as Paris and London.

Although not everyone is pleased with its nickname, Bollywood, the film industry in Mumbai produces over 400 films a year and is therefore, the largest movie industry in the world. The actors enjoy their god-like statuses and dwell in exclusive mansions on Malabar Hill, the area that holds its own with Beverly Hills. Although not may people are permitted to actually see the ins and outs of the film shooting process, there are some tours to the film studies and if that doesn't work, there is always a place where you can bathe in the typical mélange of Indian dance, songs, optional violence and melodrama. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by the big city character because there are plenty of nice things to see and do. There are museums, such as the Gandhi Museum (in one of the Mahatma's former residences- it's light on history and heavy on memorabilia), art galleries, bazaars (check out Jhavari Bazaar, where bargaining is done comfortably on piles of pillows), parks...more

History