The Bare Essentials: An Exploratory Tour of Mumbai

Mumbai, the colourful and bustling metropolis city, which has become the commercial hub of India. Although entrenched with the rich historical past, the modern day city of Bombay is an amalgamation of tradition and modernity, where businesses of all kinds interact with each other. Mumbai has also, over the years, established for itself, a reputation for excellence in theatre, art, music, and dance.

The first stop on this tour will be the Gateway of India. The structure overlooks the Mumbai Harbour and has a bold basalt arch, a signifier of colonial triumph. The Gateway incorporates Islamic styles of architecture, which were commissioned in 1911 to honour the visit of King George V. The structure, however, was only completed in 1924. Ironically, in 1948, almost 24 years later, the structure was used when the last set of British troops left India.

Next, your guide will take you to the Prince of Wales Museum (closed on Mondays) which holds the reputation for one of the very best in India for its excellent collection of antiques. The building's Indo-Saracenic architecture, its artefacts from the Indus Valley Civilization, its decorative artefacts from the Mughal dynasty, its collection of textiles, and ivories, are few of the many highlights of this museum.

You will also visit Dhobi Ghat which is a well known open-air laundromat in Mumbai. The washers, locally known as Dhobis, work in the open and wash clothes, receiving from some of the Mumbai’s best hotels and hospitals.

The tour will also allow you to explore some landmarks of the Raj era such as the elegant buildings of the Bombay High Court and the Victoria Terminus. You will also explore some of the oldest parts of the city which are reminiscent of its colonial past and are situated around Flora Fountain, the charming historic district of Kala Ghoda with its many Gothic-style buildings and its numerous art galleries.