Once a sultry tropical archipelago of seven islands, and Raj's brightest jewel, Mumbai was the dowry of Portuguese Princess Infanta Catherine de Braganza who married Charles II of England in 1661.
Today, its a teeming metropolis, commercial hub of an old civilization seeking to find its place in the New World Order.
Forty percent of India's taxes come from this city along, and half of India's International trade passes through its splendid natural harbor. In fact, Mumbai is the very soul of human enterprises.
At the city's Stock Exchange, millionaires and paupers are made overnight, and the sidewalks are crowded with vendors hawking everything from ballpoint pens to second hand mixies. Everyday, half of Mumbai's population commutes from far-flung suburbs to downtown offices, banks, factories and mills for a living.
Situated on the Arabian Sea in the west of India, Mumbai has one of the world's greatest natural harbors. In 1534 the Portuguese named it Bom Bahai (beautiful bay) the derivation of the name Bombay but in 1995 the decision was taken to rename the city in a more traditional Indian manner.
It is India's largest city and commercial center. The population, thought to be 18 million plus, is not that much less that the whole of Australia. There are said to be 77,000 Tata taxis on the street.
Mumbai is one of the most important centers in India for production of cotton textiles. Other leading industries include printing and publishing, ship building and repairing, and the manufacture of chemicals, machinery, metals, metal products, and fertilizers.
Mumbai is also the center of India's large film industry, colloquially termed "Bollywood" (after Bombay, the previous name, and Hollywood), which greatly exceeds Hollywood in the number of films produced annually. Film City is north of the airport, a good hour from business center.
Tourism is gaining economic importance. The fine and clear sandy beaches at Juhu, on the Arabian Sea Coast, and Chowpatty, on the Northern shore of Back Bay, are popular destinations for both domestic and overseas visitors.
Mumbai may be one of the most squalid cities on earth but it is also the proud possessor of a hotel that can hold its head high with any around the world. All right labor is very plentiful and cheap, but staff training and presentation are down to the property and its management.
The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower exceeds on all fronts. Undoubtedly one of the finest hotels in the world and now just over 100 years old.
