Prince of Wales museum,

Now it s known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS)
(Isn't a short and sweet name ? ;)

Loction
It is located between KALA GHODA and REGAL CIRCLE , Mumbai India,

Short History
The foundation stone of the museum was laid in 1905 by the Prince of
Wales during his first visit to city.( who later became KING GEORGE V)
This building was supposed to be a house for the children OR a hospice.
But as it was completed in 1914, during the World War I, therefore used as a hospital for the people who were involved into the war. Again during WW II it was used for same purpose and after that converted into the museum and still serve as a museum. Some also say that it was built as a museum to commemorate the first visit of King George V when he was a price of wales.

Brief intro to Design
It was designed by George Wittet in the Indo Saracenic style with Hindu and Muslim  touch. For eg the DOME  on top bears a striking resemblance of the GOL GUMBUZ at Bijapur which is a Muslim touch and on the blackish walls just below the dome one can see small lotus flowers and all the BRACKETS are the HINDU touch.
There is also a huge garden just outside the Museum. Here, YOU ( the reader) have to make a guess in comment section, that whose touch it is ? Is it a Hindu touch or a Muslim touch?
I will give you the ANSWER only if I get at least 10 guesses ;)

Collections
This is one of the biggest museum in Mumbai having around 50,000 historical artefacts related with sculptures, painting, arts, civilisations, terracottas found from Harappan Sites, trades and rulars.
It also has a great collection of Mughal miniatures, Buddhist, Jain and Hindu sculptures, handicrafts and tools and weapons used in different periods.

A large portion of the Art collection was gifted by Sir Ratan Tata ( current CEO of TATA Industry) including paintings, Oriental arms, a unique collection of jade, China and porcelain, Indian silver and bronzes. Some of the collection related with Mughals miniatures and Maratha relics were gifted by Sir Dorab Tata.
The museum also has paintings related with Rajputs and some rare artefact and paintings by the legal luminary is given by Karl Khandalawala, who was the trustee of the museum of several years.

To know more about the city, important buildings, people,places and stories behind them then don't forget to follow my blog and yea you can also read my another blog known as My Journeys and My Dreams

Gateway of India

Gateway of India

Gateway of India is located at Apollo Bunder an area in south Mumbai, within the state Maharashtra, in India.

It is one of the most famous monuments and has its own significance for its existence.

During colonize period Apollo Bunder was one of the main landing place, whoever used to come to India they mostly came through this harbor.

Idea to build a gate at the Apollo Bunder came during the visit of the King George the V^th and Queen Mary to India in 1911. As he was the first British King to visit India, the gate was built to welcome him in a different way, but it was not the same you see it today, at that time it was made up of plaster of palace, means it was a temporary gate just built to commemorate the king and queen's visit.

The foundation stone was laid in 1911, but actual design of Sir George Wittet was sanctioned in 1913 and finally the construction was completed in December 1924.

George Wittet combined the elements of Roman triumphal arch and the 16th-century architecture of Gujarat it is also called 16^th century Victorian design with Hindu and Muslim touch. The arch is of Muslim style while the decorations of flowers on the walls are Hindu style.

It is built from yellow basalt and reinforced concrete . The central dome is 48 feet (15 meters) in diameter and 83 feet (25 meters) above the ground at its highest point

Apart from the King and Queen's visit there are two more important events which make this gate very popular and tourist attractions,

1- When Gandhi Ji came to Mumbai first time ever he came through this gate and

2- When India got its Independence the troop of the British Empire went through this gate.

Mumbai or Bombay

 My City

People often call it, a city of dreams, one that never sleeps, and a city which generates almost 40% of India’s direct income tax collections. It’s a city where around 16million people live (approx 20 million in larger metropolitan), a city where buying one’s own house is dream for almost everyone.

This city was a group of seven islands (as you can see from the first picture). It said that the existence of these islands were there even in Stone Age and  later became the part of the Mauryan Empire in 3^rd century BCE when King Ashoka of Magadha expanded his empire and named it as heptanesia (Greek word for "cluster of seven islands"). From 1^st century BCE to 9^th Century CE(AD) the ownership shifted to indigenous dynasties like Satavahanas,Western   Kshatrapas, Abhiras, Vakatakas, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.

These all different rulers saw these areas as the religious center and therefore different temples and monasteries were built by these dynasties. Even the Mughals and Islamic sultanates (1347 to 1534 CE) did the same and constructed the mosques and Dargahs (Tombs), Haji Ali Dargah being one of them.

BOM BAHIA…is the name given by the Portuguese which means “a Beautiful bay”.

During early 16^th century the Treatyof Bassein was signed between Portuguese and the Sultanate of Gujrat, and the Islands were offered to the Portuguese. But again the Portuguese did the same thing, they also started constructing and making new churches like  St. Michael's Church at Mahim, St. John the Baptist Church at Andheri , St. Andrew's Church at Bandra and Gloria Church at Byculla.

Around Hundred and Twenty Five years later it was the EastIndia Trading Company which saw the potential of these Islands and just 6 years (may be 7) after the marriage of English  Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza, (she was a Portuguese princess and as part of the marriage gift the group of islands were given to the Charles II). They took over the possession of the lands from the Charles II on 10 pounds per annum. Unlike the other rulers who wanted Heptanesia or Bom Bahia to be a religious centre, East India Company wanted Bom Bahia to be a trade centre.

East India Company along with the help of the British Government built the fort in southern part of the city and started calling people from the main land’s or from different parts of India as well as of the world, to live here and to choose whatever religious they want to follow and practice, people were also free to enjoy their trade and business.

Sir Bartle’s dream of making Bombay as modern city began with the demolition of the Fort during 1860s and the new buildings in gothic and neo gothic styles came up.

As people started migrating to Bombay, Bombay became the business and trade hub and the city eventually became the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency. Bombay also played a crucial role during the nationalist movements as most of the movements took place in Bombay. After Independent (1945 CE) Bombay was reconstructed as Bombay state but from 1960s when the state of Maharashtra and Gujrat were separated, Bombay as city became the part of the Maharashtra and also remained as a financial capital of India. From 1995 the official name have been changed to Mumbai which is derived from the goddess Mumba devi who is the patron goddess of fishing community.

There will be more interesting and amazing information about the culture, people, lifestyle and heritage of Mumbai and the world around us, which I will be writing on this blog. So be in touch keep visiting and reading my blogs.