Mumbai: City Where Dreams Come True

Mumbai is India's financial capital, but this doesn't even begin to describe it. It is the city where dreams come true - it is a city of opportunities. It doesn't matter what your dream is, Mumbai will have something to offer towards its realization. If you want to be a famous actor, Mumbai is the home of Bollywood, if you want to be an entrepreneur, Mumbai has a wonderful business atmosphere, and if your dream is simply to enjoy life at a pace you like - slow or fast, Mumbai is still the way to go. There are countless stories of people rising up from its slums to become some of the most influential people in their fields. From being home to Asia's largest slum to being world's fastest growing cities, Mumbai can show you every colour. Welcome to my India's beloved city - the city where dreams come true. 

Gateway of India(above): Mumbai's most famous monument, this is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. It was built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary, complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens. Behind the arch, there are steps leading down to the water. Here, you can get onto one of the bobbing little motor launches, for a short cruise through Mumbai's splendid natural harbour.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus: Shown above is the Historical train station in Mumbai, and also the largest in the city. 

The city's architecture was largely influenced by the British and to an extent, by the Portuguese during the 18th and early 19th centuries and much of it has been preserved even till date. Its not very uncommon to find a beautiful cream coloured building with English architecture amidst a contemporary urban setting. 

The city's skyline is changing fast. Shown here is the Arabian sea coastline of Mumbai with upcoming skyscrapers in the background. Many super tall structures like the Palais Royale and World One are in advanced phases of construction. Many of these buildings when complete, will set new records.

Four Seasons Hotel with under construction 'Palais Royale' in the background.

Something unique to Mumbai is the co-existence of slums and skyscrapers together. On one hand it amazes me to think how two economically opposite sections of society exist in such proximity to each other with no egos hurt, and on the other hand its equally tragic to see how uneven the distribution of wealth here is. 

      

  

Promising downtown and business center of Mumbai.

Mahalaxmi Race Course



The Imperial Towers (above) which were until recently India's tallest buildings with 240 meters from ground to antennae. 

Palais Royale (above): Currently the tallest building in Mumbai and in India running 320 meters vertically.

Ah! A view from India's...oops, Asia's largest slum - Dharavi. I take pride in introducing it because people here might be poor, but they are a hard working class. They are not beggars, they are people running small businesses many of which have become crucial to this city's growth. Goods made here are exported all over the world with the total turn over expected at 500 million dollars.