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Night view of South Mumbai from the sea

Aerial view of South Mumbai

South Mumbai (Marathi: दक्षिण मुंबई), the southern-most precinct of the city of Mumbai, India, comprises the city's main business localities and its adjoining areas. It is the richest urban precinct in India.

Geographically, South Mumbai lies at the southern corner of Salsette Island. Although the Constituency of South Mumbai extends from Mumbai Central to Colaba, most city residents use the term to refer to the stretch extending from Colaba to Mahim,hence including localities such as Lower Parel, Worli, and Prabhadevi. This delimitation is also known as Mumbai City or 'Island City. Notwithstanding, the original residents of this city use the term to refer to the stretch extending from Colaba to Mumbai Central. The area is delimited on the east by Mumbai harbour and on the west by the Arabian Sea.The areas from Bandra and beyond form a part of Suburban Mumbai. See also Mumbai City District.

Significance[link]

South Mumbai is home to the Reserve Bank of India and the Bombay Stock Exchange. Its primary business districts are the Fort, Nariman Point, Ballard Estate and more recently Lower Parel. Many leading Indian and multi-national companies are headquartered here. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Churchgate serve as headquarters and starting point for country's Central and Western Railway lines respectively.

In South Mumbai, unlike many parts of India, uninterrupted supply of power is available around the clock. A particular feature that distinguishes South Mumbai (or Island City) from the rest of Mumbai is the absence of autorickshaws. Only Yellow-top taxis are permitted to ply in South Mumbai. It houses a significant proportion of prime upmarket residential neighbourhoods of Mumbai including: Peddar Road, Nepean Sea Road, Breach Candy and Walkeshwar Road forming a sort of golden quadrilateral and includes some of the most expensive residential areas in the world, such as the Hanging Gardens, Altamont Road, Cuffe Parade and Carmichael Road.

Many distinctive sporting clubs have been an integral part of South Mumbai landscape like the Willingdon Sports Club, the Turf Club at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, the Bombay Gymkhana, the N.S.C.I, and the Malabar Hill Club (Formerly W.I.A.A Club). The CCI and MCA are located at Mumbai's two cricket stadiums, Brabourne and Wankhede respectively.

Although land reclamation has allowed the southern-most tip of the district to double in size since the 1970s, the business districts face an acute shortfall of real estate. As a result, the real estate prices are among the top ten world-wide. As a ratio to average per capita income, real estate prices in the business districts remain the most expensive in the world.^{[citation needed]}

South Mumbai is also the home to several of the city's sporting grounds, including Brabourne Stadium, Wankhede Stadium, Cooperage Ground, Azad Maidan and Oval Maidan.

Division[link]

The city of Mumbai lies on Salsette Island. Administratively it has two official divisions: Mumbai City district and Mumbai Suburban district. Mumbai City district consists of the southern-most part of Salsette Island. This region is called South Mumbai. The western part of Mumbai Suburban district (to the west of Sanjay Gandhi National Park) is called the Western Suburbs and the eastern part of the district is called the Eastern Suburbs.

The northern-most portion of the island which is outside Mumbai city limits, lies in Thane District.^[1]

South Mumbai, the Western suburbs and the Eastern Suburbs are not official divisions of Mumbai and as such different people may include different areas in each division. This article will use the most popular divisions.

Old Bombay[link]

Bombay in 1909

Old Bombay was used to refer to the area which was formed by the merging of the seven original islands of Mumbai, India. The term is now archaic and was used from the 19th century until the 1980s. The more widely used term today is just the word 'town'.

When the islands were merged, the area became Old Bombay. The region north of this became Greater Bombay; now known as the 'Suburbs'. Greater Bombay encompasses an area 5 times the size of Old Bombay.

The region of Old Bombay consists of downtown South Mumbai which is the richest area in India and the nerve centre of Indian commerce.

See also[link]

Mumbai portal

• Western Suburbs
• Salsette Island

References[link]

External links[link]

• Altamont Road - Voted 10th Richest

Coordinates: 18°58′N 72°49′E / 18.96°N 72.82°E / 18.96; 72.82

v t e Tourist attractions in Mumbai Pre-colonial Elephanta Caves Kanheri Caves Worli Fort Mahim Fort Old Bombay Colonial Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus BMC Headquarters Hutatma Chowk Worli Fort David Sassoon Library Gateway of India Rajabai Tower Mount Mary's Church Crawford Market Bombay High Court Ballard Bunder Gatehouse South Mumbai Beaches Girgaum Chowpatty Dadar Chowpatty Juhu Beach Versova Beach Madh Island Aksa Beach Marvé Beach Powai Lake Places of worship Mumba Devi Mandir Mahalaxmi Temple Siddhivinayak temple Shitala Devi Temple Walkeshwar Temple Swaminarayan Mandir Haji Ali Mahim Church Cultural National Centre for the Performing Arts Jehangir Art Gallery Taraporewala Aquarium Asiatic Society of Mumbai Marine Drive Royal Opera House Regal Cinema Eros Cinema Metro Adlabs Nehru Science Centre Film City Capitol Cinema Liberty Cinema Boulevards Marine Drive Fashion Street Linking Road Nepean Sea Road Breach Candy Bandstand Promenade Worli Seaface Bandra-Worli Sea Link Carter Road Promenade Districts Western Suburbs Nariman Point Malabar Hill Kala Ghoda Colaba Bandra-Kurla complex Shopping Chor Bazaar Fashion Street Colaba Causeway Lamington Road Linking Road Buildings Bombay Stock Exchange Hutatma Chowk David Sassoon Library Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Nehru Planetarium India Government Mint Parks, zoos and stadia Hanging Gardens Gowalia Tank Sanjay Gandhi National Park Kamala Nehru Park Jijamata Udyaan Horniman Circle Gardens Cross Maidan Brabourne Stadium Wankhede Stadium Mahalaxmi Racecourse Shivaji Park Essel World Museums INS Vikrant Prince of Wales Museum Mani Bhavan National Gallery of Modern Art

Mumbai Bombay
—  metropolitan city  —
Clockwise from top: Skyline at Cuffe Parade, the Rajabai Clock Tower, Gateway of India, Nariman Point and the Taj Mahal Hotel
Mumbai Location of Mumbai in Maharashtra and India
Coordinates	18°58′30″N 72°49′33″E / 18.975°N 72.82583°E / 18.975; 72.82583Coordinates: 18°58′30″N 72°49′33″E / 18.975°N 72.82583°E / 18.975; 72.82583
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District(s)	Mumbai City Mumbai Suburban
Municipal commissioner	Subodh Kumar
Mayor	Sunil Prabhu (SS)
Population • Density • Metro	12,478,447[1][2] (1st) (2011[update]) • 20,694 /km2 (53,597 /sq mi) • 18,414,288[3] (1st) (2011[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	603 km2 (233 sq mi) • 14 metres (46 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 400 xxx • Telephone • +9122-XXXX XXXX • UN/LOCODE • IN BOM • Vehicle • MH 01—03
Website	www.mcgm.gov.in

Mumbai /mʊmˈbaɪ/, also known as Bombay /bɒmˈbeɪ/, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million. Along with the neighbouring urban areas, including the cities of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world.^[4] Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city.^[5] Mumbai is also the richest city in India,^[6] and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West or Central Asia.

The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing colonies. For centuries, the islands were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the British East India Company. During the mid-18th century, Mumbai was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project,^[7] which undertook the reclamation of the area between the seven constituent islands from the sea.^[8] Completed by 1845, the project along with construction of major roads and railways transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. Economic and educational development characterised the city during the 19th century. It became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century. When India became independent in 1947, the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as capital. The city was renamed Mumbai in 1996.^[9]

Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India, it is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow,^[10] generating 5% of India's GDP,^[11] and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India (Mumbai Port Trust & JNPT),^[12] and 70% of capital transactions to India's economy.^[13] Mumbai is home to important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It houses some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC, NPCL, IREL, TIFR, AERB, AECI, and the Department of Atomic Energy. The city also houses India's Hindi (Bollywood) and Marathi film and television industry. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over India and, in turn, make the city a potpourri of many communities and cultures.

Etymology[link]

The name Mumbai is derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba—the name of the Koli goddess Mumbadevi—and Aai, "mother" in the language of Marathi.^[14]

The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja; these are sometimes still used.^[15][16] Ali Muhammad Khan, in the Mirat-i-Ahmedi (1507) referred to the city as Manbai.^[17] In 1508, Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia used the name Bombaim, in his Lendas da Índia ("Legends of India").^[18][19] This name possibly originated as the Old Portuguese phrase bom baim, meaning "good little bay",^[20] and Bombaim is still commonly used in Portuguese.^[21] In 1516, Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa used the name Tana-Maiambu: Tana appears to refer to the adjoining town of Thane and Maiambu to Mumbadevi.^[22]

The temple of local Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, after whom the city of Mumbai derives its name

Other variations recorded in the 16th and the 17th centuries include: Mombayn (1525), Bombay (1538), Bombain (1552), Bombaym (1552), Monbaym (1554), Mombaim (1563), Mombaym (1644), Bambaye (1666), Bombaiim (1666), Bombeye (1676), and Boon Bay (1690).^[21][23] After the British gained possession of the city in the 17th century, the Portuguese name was officially anglicised as Bombay.^[24]

By the late 20th century, the city was known as Mumbai or Mambai to Marathi language, Konkani, Gujarati, Kannada and Sindhi speakers and as Bambai in Hindi, Persian and Urdu. The English name was officially changed to Mumbai in November 1995.^[25] This came at the insistence of the Marathi nationalist Shiv Sena party that had just won the Maharashtra state elections and mirrored similar name changes across the country. A theory was proposed suggesting that "Bombay" was a corrupted English version of "Mumbai" and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule. The push to rename Bombay was part of a larger movement to strengthen Marathi identity in the Maharashtra region. However, the city is still referred to as Bombay by some of its residents and Indians from other regions as well.^[26] However, mentions of the city by the name other than Mumbai have been controversial, resulting in emotional outbursts sometimes of a violently political nature.^[27][28]

A widespread popular etymology of Bombay holds that it was derived from a Portuguese name meaning "good bay". This is based on the facts that bom is Portuguese for "good" and baía (or the archaic spelling bahia) means "bay". However, this literal translation would have been incorrect in grammatical gender, as bom is masculine, while baia is feminine; a correct Portuguese rendering of "good bay" would be boa ba(h)ia. Having said this, baim is an archaic, masculine word for "little bay".^[20]

Portuguese scholar José Pedro Machado in his Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa (1981; "Portuguese Dictionary of Onomastics and Etymology"), seems to reject the "Bom Bahia" hypothesis, suggesting that the presence of a bay was a coincidence (rather than a basis of the toponym) and led to a misconception, that the noun (bahia; "bay") was an integral part of the Portuguese name.^[29]

History[link]

Early history[link]

Kanheri Caves served as a centre of Buddhism in Western India during ancient times

Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands: Bombay Island, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).^[30] It is not exactly known when these islands were first inhabited. Pleistocene sediments found along the coastal areas around Kandivali in northern Mumbai by archaeologist Todd in 1939 suggest that the islands were inhabited since the Stone Age.^[31] Perhaps at the beginning of the Common era (2000 years ago), or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by the Koli fishing community.^[32]

In the third century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, during its expansion in the south, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of Magadha.^[33] The Kanheri Caves in Borivali were excavated in the mid-third century BCE,^[34] and served as an important centre of Buddhism in Western India during ancient Times.^[35] The city then was known as Heptanesia (Ancient Greek: A Cluster of Seven Islands) to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 CE.^[36]

Between the second century BCE and ninth century CE, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous dynasties: Satavahanas, Western Kshatrapas, Abhiras, Vakatakas, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas,^[37] before being ruled by the Silhara dynasty from 810 to 1260.^[38] Some of the oldest edifices in the city built during this period are, Jogeshwari Caves (between 520 to 525),^[39] Elephanta Caves (between the sixth to seventh century),^[40] Walkeshwar Temple (10th century),^[41] and Banganga Tank (12th century).^[42]

King Bhimdev founded his kingdom in the region in the late 13th century, and established his capital in Mahikawati (present day Mahim).^[43] The Pathare Prabhus, one of the earliest known settlers of the city, were brought to Mahikawati from Saurashtra in Gujarat around 1298 by Bhimdev.^[44] The Delhi Sultanate annexed the islands in 1347–48, and controlled it till 1407. During this time, the islands were administered by the Muslim Governors of Gujarat, who were appointed by the Delhi Sultanate.^[45][46]

The Haji Ali Dargah was built in 1431, when Mumbai was under the rule of the Gujarat Sultanate

The islands were later governed by the independent Gujarat Sultanate, which was established in 1407. The Sultanate's patronage led to the construction of many mosques, prominent being the Haji Ali Dargah in Worli, built in honour of the Muslim saint Haji Ali in 1431.^[47] From 1429 to 1431, the islands were a source of contention between the Gujarat Sultanate and the Bahamani Sultanate of Deccan.^[48][49] In 1493, Bahadur Khan Gilani of the Bahamani Sultanate attempted to conquer the islands, but was defeated.^[50]

European rule[link]

The Mughal Empire, founded in 1526, was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent during the mid-16th century.^[51] Growing apprehensive of the power of the Mughal emperor Humayun, Sultan Bahadur Shah of the Gujarat Sultanate was obliged to sign the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese Empire on 23 December 1534. According to the treaty, the seven islands of Bombay, the nearby strategic town of Bassein and its dependencies were offered to the Portuguese. The territories were later surrendered on 25 October 1535.^[52] The Portuguese were actively involved in the foundation and growth of their Roman Catholic religious orders in Bombay.^[53]

Some of the oldest Catholic churches in the city such as the St. Michael's Church at Mahim (1534),^[54] St. John the Baptist Church at Andheri (1579),^[55] St. Andrew's Church at Bandra (1580),^[56] and Gloria Church at Byculla (1632),^[57] date from the Portuguese era. On 11 May 1661, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King John IV of Portugal, placed the islands in possession of the British Empire, as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles.^[58] However, Salsette, Bassein, Mazagaon, Parel, Worli, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala still remained under Portuguese possession. From 1665 to 1666, the British managed to acquire Mahim, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala.^[59]

These islands were in turn leased to the British East India Company in 1668 for a sum of £10 per annum by the Royal Charter of 27 March 1668.^[60] The population quickly rose from 10,000 in 1661, to 60,000 in 1675.^[61] The islands were subsequently attacked by Yakut Khan, the Siddi admiral of the Mughal Empire, in October 1672,^[62] Rickloffe van Goen, the Governor-General of Dutch India on 20 February 1673,^[63] and Siddi admiral Sambal on 10 October 1673.^[62]

In 1687, the British East India Company transferred its headquarters from Surat to Bombay. The city eventually became the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency.^[64] Following the transfer, Bombay was placed at the head of all the Company's establishments in India.^[65] Towards the end of the 17th century, the islands again suffered incursions from Yakut Khan in 1689–90.^[66] The Portuguese presence ended in Bombay when the Marathas under Peshwa Baji Rao I captured Salsette in 1737, and Bassein in 1739.^[67]

A view of Mumbai, c. 1905

By the middle of the 18th century, Bombay began to grow into a major trading town, and received a huge influx of migrants from across India.^[68] Later, the British occupied Salsette on 28 December 1774. With the Treaty of Surat (1775), the British formally gained control of Salsette and Bassein, resulting in the First Anglo-Maratha War.^[69] The British were able to secure Salsette from the Marathas without violence through the Treaty of Purandar (1776),^[70] and later through the Treaty of Salbai (1782), signed to settle the outcome of the First Anglo-Maratha War.^[71]

Ships in Bombay Harbour (c. 1731). Bombay emerged as a significant trading town during the mid-18th century.

From 1782 onwards, the city was reshaped with large-scale civil engineering projects aimed at merging all the seven islands into a single amalgamated mass. This project, known as Hornby Vellard, was completed by 1784.^[7] In 1817, the British East India Company under Mountstuart Elphinstone defeated Baji Rao II, the last of the Maratha Peshwa in the Battle of Khadki.^[72] Following his defeat, almost the whole of the Deccan came under British suzerainty, and were incorporated in Bombay Presidency. The success of the British campaign in the Deccan witnessed the freedom of Bombay from all attacks by native powers.^[73]

By 1845, the seven islands were coalesced into a single landmass by the Hornby Vellard project via large scale land reclamation.^[8][74] On 16 April 1853, India's first passenger railway line was established, connecting Bombay to the neighbouring town of Thane.^[75] During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the city became the world's chief cotton trading market, resulting in a boom in the economy that subsequently enhanced the city's stature.^[76]

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into one of the largest seaports on the Arabian Sea.^[77] In September 1896, Bombay was hit by a bubonic plague epidemic where the death toll was estimated at 1,900 people per week.^[78] About 850,000 people fled Bombay and the textile industry was adversely affected.^[79] As the capital of the Bombay Presidency, it witnessed the Indian independence movement, with the Quit India Movement in 1942 and The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny in 1946 being its most notable events.^[80][81]

Independent India[link]

The Hutatma Chowk memorial, built to honour the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. (Flora Fountain is on its left in the background.)

After India's independence in 1947, the territory of the Bombay Presidency retained by India was restructured into Bombay State. The area of Bombay State increased, after several erstwhile princely states that joined the Indian union were integrated into the state. Subsequently, the city became the capital of Bombay State.^[82] On April 1950, Municipal limits of Bombay were expanded by merging the Bombay Suburban District and Bombay City to form Greater Bombay Municipal Corporation.^[83]

The Samyukta Maharashtra movement to create a separate Maharashtra state including Bombay was at its height in the 1950s. In the Lok Sabha discussions in 1955, the Congress party demanded that the city be constituted as an autonomous city-state.^[84] The States Reorganisation Committee recommended a bilingual state for Maharashtra–Gujarat with Bombay as its capital in its 1955 report. Bombay Citizens' Committee, an advocacy group of leading Gujarati industrialists lobbied for Bombay's independent status.^[85]

Following protests during the movement in which 105 people were killed by police, Bombay State was reorganised on linguistic lines on 1 May 1960.^[86] Gujarati-speaking areas of Bombay State were partitioned into the state of Gujarat.^[87] Maharashtra State with Bombay as its capital was formed with the merger of Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay State, eight districts from Central Provinces and Berar, five districts from Hyderabad State, and numerous princely states enclosed between them.^[88] As a memorial to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Flora Fountain was renamed as Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square), and a memorial was erected.^[89]