The wealthiest city of India and a global financial hub, Mumbai is known to be the city of dreams for many. Mumbai has always been generous to its residents and homes people from all categories. It is the home to the hard working migrants as well as business giants like Ambani, Tata, Birla etc. Not just a place but Mumbai is an emotion and it shows on the streets. Earlier known as Bombay, Mumbai got its new name in 1995 that glorifies the goddess Mumbadevi worshipped by the Mumbaikars.
1. Existence of Bollywood
Bollywood has always been a major attraction to many and one of the reasons for them to visit Mumbai. Bollywood is the largest film industry in India and is the home to some of the most talented people of our country. With some of the top studios, artists and creative people residing in Mumbai, Bollywood is a dream come true for many. The charm of Bollywood is enough to get people attracted towards the thought of coming to Mumbai.
2. Arts Capital
Not just Bollywood, Mumbai also is a leading arts and entertainment capital in India. With the Indian Television industry, the ad agencies, some of the oldest museums and galleries located here, Mumbai definitely is very artsy.
3. The Economic Central of the Country
Mumbai is one of the wealthiest cities of India as well as globally. With the National Stock Exchange, the Bombay Stock Exchange and the Reserve Bank of India concentrated here, Mumbai becomes the economic center of India. There are daily wage workers and there are business giants all living together here. Even though Mumbai shows a lot of variations in the standards of living of its people, it never differentiates between them. The spirit of Mumbai when it deals with any kind of tragedy or mishap is unbelievable. Everybody here helps everybody else to move out of difficult times.
4. Mumbai Rains
Mumbai rains are something to root for. Mumbaikars enjoy every bit of it with high spirits. From having a bumpy ride to office through the potholes to getting wet while hanging on the doors of local trains, Mumbai never stops. The kind of enthusiasm Mumbaikars have for rains is incomparable. One may find stalls on the streets crowded during heavy rains with people enjoying the delicacies.
5. Street Food
Every city is known for the different range of flavours it provides to the people through its street food. Mumbai is no less. VadaPao, MisalPao, KeemaPao, Panipuri, chaat and ice golas are a treat to one’s taste buds. Very cheap and mostly hygienic, these street foods are like proper meals to Mumbaikars. Once you get the taste of it, you’ll crave it for your life.
6. Local Trains
If Mumbai is the heart, Local trains are its veins. Literally the entire Mumbai commutes through the local trains. Spreading across the city and connecting one place to the other, they make Mumbai move on its toes.
7. Mumbai's Dabbawallas
With a purpose of serving food to everyone, Mumbai's Dabbawalas are like angels working towards a very good cause. Dressed in white with a Gandhi cap on top, these Dabbawallas are basically tiffin service providers who are mostly concerned with receiving and dropping the lunch boxes to the respective locations. They have been service the city since a very long time now and are highly respected for their work.
8. Tourist Attractions
Some of the most commonly visited tourist places in Mumbai are Juhu Beach, the Queen's necklace or Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Hotel Taj, Haji Ali Dargah, Mahalaxmi temple, Siddhivinayak temple and many more. These are not just tourist places but are regularly visited by the local residents and are crowded most of the times. There are a number of cricket stadiums here, one of them being the Wankhede stadium that homes The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
9. Shopping Center
Due to the presence of Bollywood in the city, all the latest fashion inspirations can be found on the streets of Mumbai. Mumbai is a fashion hub and with the streets filled with colors, it never stops amusing the shoppers. Different streets like the Bandra Linking road, Fashion Street, Colaba Causeway invites the shoppers to have the time of their lives buying the latest fashion trends at the price of their choice.
10. The Language of Mumbai
Marathi being the official language of the city, it is spoken along with Hindi most of the times. Another very commonly heard dialect is the Mumbaiya language that comes from the streets of Mumbai. It has also been depicted wonderfully in a number of Bollywood movies whose storylines were based in Mumbai.
11. Festivals
Mumbai celebrates all the festivals with as much grace and goodwill. With people of all religions residing here, every festival is way of celebration yet Mumbai's Ganesh Chaturthi is the biggest festival celebrated here. With holidays to schools and colleges for 5 days owing to the celebrations and the constant dhol and aarti across streets, Ganesh Utsav is a big deal for the Mumbaikars. People worship idols of Lord Ganesh that are made up of clay or bought from shops and divulge in it completely. Lalbaug is one of the most famous Ganesh UtsavPandal in Mumbai.
In spite of so many attacks on this always bustling city, Mumbai never stopped. Mumbai has proved time and again that come what may, it will ride high on its spirits of livelihood and face the challenges. As it is very popularly said, ‘Mumbai is a city, Bombay is an emotion’.
