MUMBAI (BOMBAY), INDIA (Port No. 26, 3/28-29/12)

THE CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS (fka VICTORIA TERMINUS

∙ GEOGRAPHY 101
          ∙ Land Mass/Continent: Asia; India abuts Afganistan and Pakistan to the northwest
          ∙ About Mumbai: Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) is the capital of the state of Maharashtra on the west coast of India
          ∙ Estimated Population: 12.7 million in the city and 21.9 million in the metropolitan area; it is the most populous city in India and the 5th largest metropolitan area in the world (about even with New York City)
          ∙ Distance From Home (San Diego, CA): 8,799 miles
          ∙ The Water That Got Us Here: Arabian Sea (except that we "ditched the ship" and flew here from Delhi)

THE GATEWAY OF INDIA

∙ ITS PLACE IN HISTORY /INTERESTING FACTS
          ∙ Local time: 
          ∙ Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of 7 islands
          ∙ The islands were under the control of successive indigenous dynasties, then the Portuguese, and then the British (from the 17th Century until 1947)

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN MUMBAI

          ∙ From 1782 thru 1845, the British reshaped the city with large-scale civil engineering projects, merging all 7 islands into a single amalgamated mass, linked by causeways and bridges
          ∙ The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into one of the largest seaports on the Arabian Sea
          ∙ India became independent in 1947, with the end of the British imperial period, and began renaming its cities (e.g., Bombay became Mumbai in 1995; Calcutta became Kolkata in 2001)
          ∙ The city is still referred to as Bombay by some residents, but this is controversial and can result in emotional outbursts, even of a violently political nature
          ∙ Mumbai is the richest and most multi-ethic city in India
          ∙ Yet, Asia’s largest slum (Dharavi), is located in central Mumbai -- housing 800,000 people

DHARAVI SLUM

          ∙ The past 2 decades have seen an increase in violence in this otherwise largely peaceful city
                    ∙ Hindu-Muslim Riots of 1992-93: A political rally developed into a riot involving 150,000 people; when the Babri Mosque was destroyed, more than 2,000 people were killed in ensuing riots in India and Pakistan, including Mumbai and Delhi
                    ∙ On 3/12/93, a series of 13 coordinated bombings at several city landmarks by Islamic extremists and the Bombay underworld (Indian mafia), killed 257 and injured 700
                    ∙ In 2006, 7 bombs exploded on the city’s commuter trains, killing 209 and injuring 700
                    ∙ In 2008, another series of 10 coordinated attacks over 3 days by armed terrorists resulted in 173 deaths, 308 injuries and severe damage to a couple heritage landmarks and prestigious hotels
                    ∙ On 7/13/11, a series of 3 coordinated bombs exploded at the Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar, killing 26 and injuring 130
                    ∙ The Times of India described Mumbai as having become a “hot hunting ground for terror”. Yikes!
          ∙ India is a major transit point for heroin coming in from Southeast Asia to Europe, and it’s the world’s largest legal grower of opium
          ∙ India also sees a lot of money laundering and diamond smuggling via South Africa
          ∙ “Bollywood”, the Hindu film industry based in Mumbai, is a blend of the words “Bombay” and “Hollywood”

BOLLYWOOD

          ∙ Travel video:  http://www.youtube.com/user/bestdestination#p/search/0/OQH4wkWoGRw

∙ CLIMATE
          ∙ Mumbai has a tropical wet and dry climate; summer is March to June
          ∙ Average low for March: 69.1
          ∙ Average high for March: 90.8

∙ HIGHLIGHTS/THINGS TO SEE
          ∙ Gateway of India
          ∙ Rajabai Clock Tower at the University of Mumbai
          ∙ Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (fka Victoria Terminus)

RAJABAI CLOCK TOWER