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.