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 3rd century BCE when King Ashoka of Magadha expanded
his empire and named it as heptanesia (Greek word for "cluster of seven islands"). From 1st
century BCE to 9th 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 16th
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.