It’s 11 at night and you feel like sitting by the sea and having popcorn. A Parsi couple in shorts walks by you, barely noticing. With its usual traffic, the road behind your back comes alive with cars you have not seen anywhere else but in ads?

Mumbai: Here, you can spend your days discovering the Victorian architecture, have lunch at the Taj, go for an evening prayer to Haji Ali, and see Sharukh or Amitabh somewhere in between.

Days pass too quickly here. Everyone is in a hurry. There are people everywhere – buses, streets, and offices – each of them has a story to tell. Mumbai’s landscape never changes. Every year, the outskirts become part of the new, emerging Mumbai. To most of us Indians, Mumbai remains the city of dreams.

Places to visit in Mumbai:

Gateway of India: The iconic gate from the sea to this great city – Gateway of India was built during the rule of the British. Its commencement was done in 1911 and it took thirteen years to build this great monument. The architecture of Gateway of India has the influence of both Hindu and Muslim traditions. The best time to visit is during the evening when you can see the sun setting slowly into the sea and follow it up with the tangy street food or hot chai.

Marine Drive: One of the best places to be in Mumbai, Marine Drive has remained the same throughout the years. It is stretched over an area of 4.3 kilometers and is a popular place for the Mumbaikars to do their morning/evening walk. Though the road is officially labeled as Netaji Subash Chandra Road, it is hardly recognized by this name. At the northern end of Marine Drive is the famous Chowpatty Beach. Most of the buildings on the opposite side of Marine Drive are owned by rich Parsi families, who have been staying in Mumbai for generations. People from different backgrounds come to Marine Drive to stroll along the calming walkway by the side of the sea and perfectly lined palm trees. The lights at night on this beautiful Marine Drive give the appearance of the 'Queen's Necklace', and do call for one visit at least.

Haji Ali: The home of earnest prayers, Haji Ali is a dargah (tomb) of a wealthy Islamic merchant, who in early 1400 gave up his worldly possessions and began his journey to Mecca from Uzbekistan. When he finally came to Mumbai after completing his trip to the holy land, this city won over his heart. He decided to stay here, and Haji Ali was made to commemorate this noble spirit of Mumbai – who so ever comes here, becomes of here. The tomb is built on a tiny island located 500 meters away from the shore. On Thursdays and Fridays, people of all religions and beliefs throng the walls of Haji Ali while wishing for goodness for themselves and their family.

Chowpatty Beach: One of the oldest beaches of Mumbai, Chowpatty has been covered in numerous movies and documentaries featuring Mumbai. Together with Juhu’s beach, it makes up a cool hanging-out place with friends and family. It has plenty of local food stalls and cafes and is a good place to eat seafood. You can also visit it early in the morning to see the whole sea front and get some fresh air.

Hare Krishna Temple: Very serene and spiritual, this temple is maintained by ISCON and is a highly devotional place. The best time to visit is during 6:00 am -7:00 am and pm, when the aarti takes place. The atmosphere inside the temple is very spiritual and you will instantly feel relaxed. Other than that, the facilities are great too. You can purchase Prasadam lunch which is made in-house and is entirely vegetarian. The temple is located very close to Juhu, and the food is good. On a different note, it's also close to Juhu Beach.

Prithvi Theatre: Prithvi Theatre is the testament to the good old Bollywood and its ingenious inspirations that have encouraged many to share their passion for acting. The upscale theater has an auditorium that has been running different shows every day. It’s a hanging-out place for budding artists and gives them enough space to hone their skills and perform in front of a decent crowd. You can spend some time with the history of stage performance or taste some delicacies at the cozy café, which, in addition to the entire Prithvi Theater, is run by Shashi Kapoor’s family.

Babulnath Temple: Located near Grant Road, Babulnath is an old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. From the old buildings to the latest high-rises, you can get a view of a large part of Mumbai from this temple. Mahadev is worshipped in the form of Shivalinga, and on Mahashivratri day, it takes anywhere between 8 to 10 hours to get darshan. For the devotees, the temple offers flowers and provisions to collect water in a copper tumbler and pour it on the Shivalinga. This is a good place to experience solace among the hustle and bustle of South Mumbai. After the day's work, it is good to visit the temple where the aarti is a must-watch, with bhajan chants all over the main shrine. There is a different tranquility one experiences here, making a person forget all the worries carried from daily chores.

Mumbai in itself is a puzzle. From day to night, this city has so much to offer that your vacations might not be enough to see and experience it all. People from outside, especially the north, don’t like it much initially because of the crowd and the jams, but it just takes a season for the city to make them its own. Its homes are filled with people who came to just see it, but once they got a hang of this glamorous city – they just couldn’t leave. Beware; the city might make you fall in
love with itself too. 

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