Fort Mumbai

YES, we arrived in India just in time for the auspicious occasion of India taking the lead as the most populous Country in the world reaching 1.425 Billion people this month.

After two days at sea on the Arabian sea we arrived in Mumbai India. India is an entirely different world from Africa. Mumbai as it is known since 1995 (also known as Bombay) is located on the West Coast of India and is the financial and entertainment (yes, Bollywood) center. The most populous city of India with 13 million people and the Mumbai region with 23 million. Mumbai used to be 7 islands of the Koli people and the Portuguese took it over and then East India Company in 1661 (as a dowry for Catherine Braganza when she married King Charges II). Through land reclamation the 7 islands became one in 1845 and Independent in 1947. Mumbai grew in the cotton trade when Britain could not get it from the US (during our Civil War) and India was willing to produce cotton needed. After that the opening of the Suez canal changed the landscape and the economy of India because the speed of trade went from a trip of 6 months to 1 week. Mumbai accounts for 70% of India’s trade pays 39% of all the taxes.

Our first stop was the Gateway of India, an archway started in 1914 and completed in 1924, built in the 16th Century Gujarati architecture in Indo-Islamic style. It is an impressive structure that is 85 feet high with 4 original turrets and carvings, all made in basalt. It was erected to commemorate the landing of King-Emperor George V, the first British monarch to visit India, in December 1911. The Gateway was used as a symbolic ceremonial entrance to India for important colonial personnel and it still is used as a place for dignitaries to visit as the entrance to the trade harbor and a significant place in the history and growth of Mumbai. It continues to be a big gathering spot for locals as well as tourists and many events since the plaza can hold up to 2500 people. The day we were there they were doing a podcast with the Prime Minister (called The Heart of the PM) for the 100th episode of a popular podcast on Mumbai news. Many people were there to take photos and experience the event. The area was flooded with street vendors and crowds. There is no such thing as personal space in India … a lesson you learn very quickly.

Across the street is the famous Taj Mahal Hotel built in 1903, where there are high end hotel rooms ($400 and up per night) and many International dignitaries have stayed there over the years. The hotel has 560 rooms and 44 suites, employs 1,600 staff and is considered the main luxury hotel in all India.

We drove through the Hanging Gardens neighborhood to get a feel for the neighborhoods which of course are very diverse with crowded areas of every economic status (tomorrow we will visit a slum area). We saw the Sailors House where sailors lived when in town and various government buildings as well as parks, Universities, Courts and housing. Education is very important in this Country, probably due to its British roots which focused heavily on education. The caste system no longer exists in India and everyone will tell you this but they also will tell you unofficially it is very difficult to distinguish between caste and economic status. Although people are not discriminated again anymore as in the old system, it is extremely difficult to move from one economic situation to another and to obtain jobs in certain professions without economic status. That being said, it is interesting that many beautiful apartment buildings can be found right among the lowest level of housing and living. The government continues to try and help those at the poverty level move up and provides many social systems to help. The book Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts was highly recommended. https://www.amazon.com/Shantaram-Novel-Gregory-…

We visited Mahatma Gandis memorial, museum and home and saw photos of his entire life at all ages as well as representations of all of his missions and major stages in life. A great man analogous to Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela in that they all dedicated their lives to World Peace and more importantly their difficult but successful methods were ALL NON-VIOLENT. Part of the exhibit were beautifully done dioramas that depicted each major stage of his life (see photos). The building is now a museum as well as a library. We enjoyed an in-depth visit here to understand the man and his philosophies and method better.Read more