MumbaiFrom Bombay

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India is a land of mystery and intrigue—so many sights, sounds, and smells (some good and some not so good). Though poverty is extreme in many parts of the country, the people are amazing as they go about their daily lives. There is so much to find out about India’s history and culture. You can spend a lifetime and still not discover all its secrets. Come join us as we explore Mumbai.

Mumbai’s History

In 1534, seven islands located off the west coast of India were ceded to the Portuguese and named Bom Bahia, meaning “the good bay.”

The islands, with their lush green vegetation and breathtaking views of the sea, were both beautiful and desirable. They grew in importance and became a vital trading center catching the eye of the British. They called it Bombay because they were unable to pronounce the Portuguese name correctly.

In 1661, the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza gave the seven islands to her future husband King Charles II of England as part of her marriage dowry. A number of years later, the British East India Company leased the seven islands from

Charles. Though the British had a strong presence in India since the 1700s, their official rule lasted from 1858 to 1947. The British influence can still be seen in the architecture, education and transportation systems, and politics.

In 1995, the name was officially changed to Mumbai after the Shiv Sena political party came into power. They felt “Bombay” was too representative of British colonialism and wanted the city to reflect its Maratha heritage instead. The name Mumbai does that by paying tribute to the goddess Mumba (or Mumbadevi). According to one of the various legends, Mumbadevi was an eight-armed goddess sent by Lord Brahma (creator of the universe and all beings) to vanquish an evil demon known as Mumbaraka who was terrorizing the local people. After the defeat, the goddess took his name and vowed to protect all who lived on the island.

The most fascinating thing of all is how the archipelago of seven islands were connected and merged into one land mass. This process occurred over a span of five centuries, resulting in what is now the modern city of Mumbai. The islands were physically united through a series of land reclamation projects with the first project taking place in 1708. At this time a causeway was built between two of the islands. (A causeway is defined as an elevated road or railway usually erected over a body of water or wetland.)

Over the centuries, additional causeways between other islands were built. In addition, some of the hilltops making up the seven islands were leveled, and the debris was used to fill in the gaps between the islands. The reclamation process has not been without problems. The Mahim River flowing through Mumbai was no longer able to empty into the Arabian Sea, and the drainage system of the city was compromised resulting in terrible flooding during monsoons.

Today, Mumbai is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is considered the financial, commercial, and entertainment capital of India. Its metro area is inhabited by approximately 22.05 million Mumbaikars (residents of Mumbai), making it the most populous city in India. Even more amazing is the fact that about one million people live in just one municipality of the city, known as Dharavi, which spans just about 535 acres (216.5 hectares).

Discussion Starters

• In Mumbai, people dwell in very crowded conditions. The average livingspace for each person is around 86 square feet (8 square meters). Wouldyou be able to live somewhere with so many people and so little space?

• India experiences more than its share of natural disasters includingfloods, earthquakes followed by tsunamis, cyclones, landslides, anddroughts. Such occurrences have resulted in significant loss of life. Howwould you feel about living there? What natural disasters occur whereyou live?

Some Trivia of India

• India is the second most populated country in the world (after China), but it isonly about 1/3 the size of the United States.

• It is the largest democracy in the world, butit also has a long-established caste system,which seems at odds with the concepts ofa democracy.

• In India there are six seasons: summer, fall, winter, spring, summer monsoon,and winter monsoon.

• Though more than a million Indians aremillionaires, an estimated 35% of thepopulation lives below the poverty line.

• Cows are considered sacred and can beseen freely roaming the streets.

• India is the birthplace of the game of chess.

• Air pollution is a significant problem in India. In fact, it tops the world interms of bad air quality. The city of Delhi is the worst, and Mumbai comesin fourth.

• The concept of shampooing was invented in India. The earliest shampoo was made from herbs, and the word itself comes from champu, which means “to massage.”

• One of the most popular games in the world is Snakes and Ladders. It was invented in India as a way to teach young children a moral lesson about karma (reaping what you sow). Hindus and Buddhists believe your actions in this life determine what happens to you in your next life.

• Though India has the largest postal network in the world, it is not unusual for a letter to take up to two weeks to travel just 30 miles.

• India’s national animal is the Bengal tiger. Today, there are fewer than 4,000 of these magnificent animals in the wild.

• During the British reign, cricket was introduced to India and is now its favorite sport.

• The majority of people in India are Hindu (about 80%) with Muslims following at approximately 13%. India has the world’s third largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan.

• If attending a Hindu wedding, you will notice marigold flowers are used in the decorations. Marigolds are considered a symbol of happiness and good fortune. Hindu brides traditionally wear red at their wedding. And for funerals, it is tradition to wear white.

Under the heading of “sad, but true,” it is said that more people in India have access to a phone than they do to indoor plumbing.

Discussion Starters

• Do you think it would bother you to be wealthy in a country where there is so much poverty? What are some of the things you might do to help those less fortunate than you?

• Do you think you could adjust to living without indoor plumbing?

• Have you ever played or seen the sport of cricket? What do you think of it?

What is Bollywood?

While most of us are familiar with the movie mecca in California known as Hollywood, India actually has the world’s largest movie industry located in Mumbai. The name Bollywood is a take on the name Hollywood, starting with a B for Bombay rather than an H. The term was first coined in the 1970s.

Here are some interesting things about Indian cinema:

• Indian cinema is not new—it celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2013.

• The first entirely Indian-produced film, Raja Harishchandra, was released in 1913. In the first films, the parts of women were played by men.

• In the year 2013, a record number of 1,724 feature films were released. Most films are released on Fridays and are three hours long with an intermission.

• Indians buy 2.7 billion movie tickets annually, the highest in the world and about 14 million people a day attend the cinema. Average ticket prices are among the lowest in the world, so revenues are a fraction of Hollywood’s.

• Indian movies are shown in more than 90 countries, with North America generating 25% of Bollywood’s overseas revenue.

• The Kapoors are Bollywood’s largest screen family. In fact, they set a Guinness World Record with 24 people from the extended family working in the industry.

• Romance and action films became popular in India in the 1960s, and gangster films emerged as fan favorites in the mid-1970s.

• Bollywood is a term often used for the whole of India cinema, but it actually just applies to the Mumbai-based film industry.

• Indian films are primarily musicals. The songs are usually recorded by professional singers and the actors lip-sync the words during filming.

• The highest-grossing Indian film of all-time was the 2009 movie 3 Idiots. It brought in a worldwide gross of approximately $80 million.

Discussion Starters

• Have you ever seen a movie made in India or featuring India? If so,what was it and what was it about? Did you enjoy it?(Examples: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Slumdog Millionaire,The Darjeeling Limited)

• Can you name any popular actors from movies or television whoare of Indian descent? (Examples: Ben Kingsley—Gandhi, FreidaPinto—Slumdog Millionaire, Kunal Nayyar—Big Bang Theory,Mindy Kaling—The Office)

What’s There to See and Do in Mumbai?First and foremost are the people—so many people everywhere you go. The women are beautiful in their colorful saris (SAR eez), and the men generally can be seen wearing shirts and pants, either long or to the knee, and the occasional turban or other forms of head coverings. In our travels in Mumbai we saw smiling, gracious people going out of their way to greet us and make our visit enjoyable.

Here Are Some of the Highlights:Colaba Causeway

If you love to shop then the Colaba Causeway is a must-see stop on your Mumbai tour. The causeway is a land link between Colaba and Old Woman’s Island and is close to the heart of the city. There are roadside vendors, glamorous boutiques, amazing places to eat, and the Regal Cinema where you can stop to enjoy a movie. Walk to the Bandstand Promenade and gaze at the Arabian Sea.

Dharavi One would not think a slum, especially one of the largest slums in the world, would be a tourist attraction, but it is. There is a two-hour walking tour of the Dharavi neighborhood, which was made famous in the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It is an amazing opportunity to see one of the most densely populated areas on Earth, and it makes you appreciate how people have managed to adapt and even thrive in such an environment. Many people living there are second-generation residents in what was once a fishing village.

Everywhere you look, people are busy making and selling things such as fabrics, leather goods, and pottery to sell in the many small businesses that flourish in the area. The recycling of plastic for all of Mumbai is done in Dharavi. We heard that the government has plans for redeveloping

Dharavi and transforming it into a modern township with shopping complexes, hospitals, schools, and improved living conditions, including long overdue upgrades to sanitation services.

Gateway of India Mumbai’s most recognized monument and the first thing you see as you approach the city by boat was constructed in 1924 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary of England. It is also where the last of the British troops departed at the end of the British rule of India in 1947.

Kala Ghoda Considered Mumbai’s cultural center, this district is home to the best art galleries and museums.

Bollywood Take a tour, watch a movie at the magnificent Eros Cinema, or arrange to be an extra in a movie.

The Taj Mahal Hotel

The Taj Mahal Hotel is a five-star hotel where you go to be pampered in some of the most luxurious surroundings you will ever see. It was a bit too rich for our wallets, but we did enjoy sitting in the lobby and watching all the people who could afford to stay there. The world-famous Taj Mahal

mausoleum of white marble, commissioned in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan as a burial place for his beloved wife, is located many miles away in the city of Agra.

Discussion Starters

• Would you be reluctant to visit a slum? Many people are initially hesitant to do so, but find it is an excellent educational opportunity and helps support the people who live there.

• Have you ever stayed in a five-star hotel (or a very luxurious one)? Can you describe your experience?

Indian Etiquette

• Don’t wear tight or revealing clothing. Indians dress conservatively.

• Don’t point your finger or foot at someone. Pointing your finger is considered rude, and feet are considered unclean.

• Don’t greet people, eat, or pass food with your left hand. The left hand is reserved for toileting and is considered unclean.

 Don’t Do This:

• Don’t say “please” or “thank you” to family or friends. It is considered an unnecessary formality and can be viewed as insulting.

• Don’t expect people to be punctual. In India, time is flexible. It is actually good manners to arrive at your destination 15 to 30 minutes late.

• Don’t kiss your spouse in public. Public displays of affection are disapproved of.

• Don’t whistle in public. It is considered to be very bad etiquette.

• Take off your shoes before entering someone’s home, a temple, or mosque.

• It is acceptable to thank someone, other than friends or family, who has done a service for you.

• Be prepared to be pushed, shoved, and sandwiched against the people around you. With the overcrowding in India, there is no such thing as personal space.

• Wash your hands before and after a meal.

Do This:

• Be prepared to eat your food with your hands rather than using utensils.

• Bring a gift with you (such as sweets) when having dinner in someone’s home. Generally, avoid giving flowers or alcohol as a gift.

• Use a person’s title whenever possible when introducing them.

• Exchange business cards with colleagues in business settings. It is a required part of etiquette.

Some Famous IndiansMohandas K. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. He was a lawyer, writer, and social activist who became known to his followers as Mahatma, which is an honorific title meaning “Great Soul.” He devoted his life to freeing India from British rule through nonviolent protest, including fasting. On January 30, 1948, he was on his way to evening prayer in Delhi when he was shot down and killed by a Hindu fanatic. Today, his birthday is a national holiday.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 to the influential Nehru family. Her father was India’s first prime minister. In 1942, she married Feroze Ghandi, an Indian politician and journalist who had changed the spelling of his last name from Ghandy to match Mahatma Ghandi. In 1966, Indira became India’s third (and only female) prime minister. She served again a second time from 1980 until October 31, 1984, when she was shot and killed by two of her bodyguards. She achieved many advances for her country but was often criticized for her authoritarian style.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born in 1910 in the Republic of Macedonia. At a very early age, she felt a calling to be a nun and serve the poor. After a few months of training at age 18 in Ireland, she was given permission to travel to India where she began working as a teacher. Soon the poverty of Calcutta made such an impression on her that she founded a new order called The Missionaries of Charity. Her work spread around the world with 700 missions opening in more than 130 countries. She died in 1997 and has since been named a saint. Though not born in India, she will always remain one of India’s most important citizens.

Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling was born December 30, 1865, in Bombay, India, to English parents. He lived in India until the age of six when he was taken by his parents to live in a foster home in England for five years. This was not an uncommon practice at the time. Unfortunately, the foster home was an abusive one, and he was very unhappy there. He was then taken to a boarding school, which was not much better.

His early experiences did provide material for his later writings. He returned to India in 1882 and worked as a journalist for seven years. He married American Caroline Balestier in 1892 and moved to Vermont before returning to England in 1896. His literary contributions include The Jungle Book, Kim, and Just So Stories, as well as many short stories and poems.

And Some May Surprise You

George Orwell – This writer was born Eric Arthur Blair in 1903 in the town of Motihari in the state of Bihar. His father was an employee of the Opium Department of the British Colonial Government.

William Thackeray – Born in Calcutta in 1811, Thackeray was a writer best known for his literary masterpiece Vanity Fair. At the time, Calcutta was the capital of British India, and his father was the secretary of the Board of Revenue of the British East India Company.

Vivien Leigh – Famous for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, she was born in 1913 on the campus of St. Paul’s School in Darjeeling, India.

Julie Christie – This British film star was born in 1940 in British India. Her father was running a tea plantation there at the time of her birth.

Discussion Starters

• Are there any dos or don’ts of Indian etiquette you would find difficultto follow?

• Of the famous Indians listed, are there any you would most like to meet?

• Are there any questions you would want to ask of them if you could?

How Spicy is India?

India is aptly called the Land of Spices because it produces the largest variety of spices in the world. Curry, especially, is commonly associated with India. Most of us have eaten Indian food at one point or another and either love it or not.

The first Indian restaurant was opened in the U.S. in the mid-1960s. Today there are an estimated 80,000 Indian restaurants in America. The largest Indian restaurant in the world is surprisingly not in India. It is called The Aakash and is located in Britain. It can seat up to 750 people at one time. London has more Indian restaurants than Mumbai or Delhi.

Some Interesting Facts About Indian Food

Purchasing street food is perhaps the most popular way to procure food all over India, but particularly in Mumbai. Here everyone eats it almost around the clock. In some cases, it is even better than what you find in the restaurants.

Every day, thousands of men called dabbawalas transport and deliver some 200,000 boxed lunches of freshly cooked food to the city’s office workers who can’t get home for their meal. This century-old food delivery system is recognized as one of the best managed supply chains in the world, and Forbes gave it a Sigma Six rating. This highest rating is shared by such giants as General Electric and Motorola.

• India is the world’s largest producer of tea, which is the most popular beverage of the country.

• India has the lowest meat consumption in the world per person. Approximately 80% of the population is vegetarian.

• The Golden Temple feeds vegetarian meals to more than 100,000 people each day regardless of race, religion, or class.

• Farmers in India routinely use Coca-Cola and Pepsi as an inexpensive pesticide. That may make you think twice before you drink another soda.

• Tikka Masala (roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce), one of India’s most recognized dishes, is actually a British invention originating from Scotland.

Basic ingredients found in Indian food include tomatoes, onions, turmeric, cumin, garlic, mustard, and ginger. A favorite Indian dish is Tandoori chicken, which is made with a spicy yogurt and curry sauce. But, truthfully, there are so many delicious Indian foods, that it is hard to choose just one as a favorite.

Discussion Starters

• Are you a fan of Indian food? What do you most like or dislike about it?

• Have you ever eaten food from a street vendor? What was it and did you enjoy it?

• Are you or have you ever been a vegetarian? How important is meat in your diet?

Hope you enjoyed this month’s travels. We look forward to seeing you next month!

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