India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [87]
You Say Mumbai, I Say Bombay
In 1995, Bombay, the name the British bestowed upon the city, was renamed in honor of the local incarnation of the Hindu goddess Parvati, “Mumba Devi.” The city’s name change (along with a host of others that harked back to its colonial past) was enforced by the ruling Shiv Sena, a Hindu fundamentalist party that eschews the presence of any other than the Marathi people, a glaring irony given that this is a city of immigrants—a cocktail influenced as much by the grand Gothic monuments left by the British as by the many cultures who’ve set up shop here. Although it’s difficult to understand how goodwill can prevail in a city led by politicians bred on xenophobia, Mumbai’s well-intentioned optimism and its social cosmopolitanism prevail, and many of Mumbai’s English-speaking inhabitants still refer to it as Bombay.
1 Arrival & Orientation
Greater Mumbai
WHEN TO GO
Mumbai’s humidity—even in the small hours of the morning—is felt instantly, and the sun shines year-round, except in the monsoon months. You always seem drenched in warm sweat, and the heat can be terribly cruel, making sightseeing far less agreeable than a tour of the city’s wonderful restaurants and drinking holes. Winter (Nov–Feb) is still hot, although not so entirely unpleasant; the sultry sea air sets the tone for an adventure in exotic dining and an intoxicating jaunt through lively, Victorian-era streets that are constantly crammed with people. The only real relief from the heat comes for brief periods in December and January, and midyear, when the annual monsoon drenches the city with heavy, nonstop tropical rains. Although the monsoon can be a difficult time to explore the city (and has in the past brought life-threatening floods), it can also be beautiful to watch the downpour from the safety of a well-located terrace or from under a sturdy umbrella.
ARRIVING
BY PLANE Mumbai’s sprawling Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (www.csia.in) is looking a whole lot better than it did just a few years ago, and continues to undergo renovation; things may not seem world class just yet, but they’re definitely getting there (there’s even a Disney-themed children’s corner designed to stave off boredom during long waits between flights). The International Terminal (2A and 2C; 022/2681-3000) is located in Sahar, 29km (18 miles) north of Colaba, the touristy enclave in the city’s far south. Flights typically arrive and depart between midnight and dawn, which can make finding your feet difficult; catch the evening flight on Kingfisher Airlines (www.kingfisher.com) from London, however, and you’ll land midmorning (after a spectacularly comfortable flight, by the way). A Government of India Tourist Office ( 022/2682-9248) at the airport should be open 24 hours but—as is the case in most of India’s tourist offices—it’s certainly not the best place to obtain advice; you’ll find the contents of this book far more useful.
Although there is now at least one ATM at arrivals, it’s usually run out of money, so if you intend catching a taxi from the airport, arrive with some cash in order to buy local currency from one of the fast and friendly foreign exchange booths located near the exit. However, if you’re new to the city, it’s advisable to arrange an airport transfer to meet you—primarily because you will be accosted by a loud, expectant mass of touts and taxi drivers the minute you exit the terminal doors; it can be a bit overwhelming for first-time visitors and some of these characters need to be treated with a degree of caution. If you are expecting a pickup, don’t get sidetracked or deterred from boarding the correct hotel shuttle—ignore strangers offering help.
Hiring a taxi on the spot needn’t be too much of a chore. Simply make use of the convenient