Mumbai - The Home Of "Bollywood"

Note: Mumbai is sometimes still referred to by its colonial name, Bombay.

Readers may be interested in reading our overview of India's gay culture.

Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment centre of India. Mumbai ranks among the most populous cities in the world and is a potpourri of many communities and cultures. The city offers a cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle with a variety of food, entertainment, night life. Mumbai is in all respects comparable to the other world capitals.

The city houses India's Hindi film and television industry, known as Bollywood. The Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest centers of film production in the world. Similarly, a sign of the city opening up towards the gay population is Kashish - Mumbai Queer Film Festival, 2010 The festival which spans four days, April 22-25, is an attempt to unearth queer films and showcase them, celebrating the creativity of the filmmakers (whether heterosexual or queer) and the increasing visibility of the queer community. The festival will offer cinema as a medium to understand what being queer means today and how it impacts both the queer community and the society at large. Feature films, short films, documentaries and experimental films will be screened, highlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters and stories.

The city certainly has more than enough places of interest to keep the tourists entertained. Mumbai has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) and the Elephanta Caves. Popular tourist attractions in the city are Nariman Point, Chowpatti Beach, Juhu Beach, and Marine Drive. Gateway of India is perhaps Mumbai's most famous monument, and is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. Behind the arch, there are steps leading down to the water where tourists try to get into of the little motor launches, for a short cruise through Mumbai's splendid natural harbor.

Rarely does a hotel become a part of a city's legend, but in Mumbai, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is a local landmark. The elaborate structure with its charming and oriental decor was designed by a Briton by the name of Chambers. The Taj is really a work of art and from the picturesque windows of its quiet and elegant rooms, you still get a magnificent view of the Gateway against the backdrop of the harbour.

Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach. At one end is a row of local Bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack. You might even catch a film shoot or a street play if you are lucky. In short, Chowpatty is where the action is for most tourists. Also there is Juhu Beach, with a number of 5 star hotels citing a paradise view to enjoy a cup of coffee and splendid sight of the coast. A stroll down Marine Drive (once called the queen's Necklace) is possibly the best way to discover Mumbai.

The Elephanta Caves here date back to 600 AD, and attract more visitors each year. Situated in an island, it takes an hour’s boat ride by the sea to get there. The cave compound is a collection of shrines, courtyards, inner cells, grand halls and porticos arranged in the splendid symmetry of Indian rock-cut architecture, and filled with exquisite stone sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Unfortunately, many of the sculptures inside have been damaged by the Portuguese rulers. And yet somehow, nothing has disturbed the sublime beauty of this place for centuries.

Mumbai celebrates all religious, political and social festivals the best way possible. It is always a site worth spending your money on and the perfect (neither cold nor too tropical) weather conditions provide ideal settings for the tourists to visit the city anytime during a year.