State : Maharashtra Important temples Mumba Devi, Balaji Mandir, Walkeshwar, Banganga Tank, Babulnath, Mahalakshmi, Makareshwar Mahadev Temple, Siddhi Vinayak Temple, ISKCON Temple, Shankara Matham, Guruvayur Temple, Subrahmanya Swamy Temple, Titwala Ganesh Temple . Location The island city of Mumbai, which has a deep, natural harbour, is connected to the mainland by several bridges, and spreads linearly along the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India . Distances 154 km NW of Pune, 545 km S of Ahmedabad, 593 km NW of Panaji (Goa) Route from Pune Pune Expressway via Wadgaon, Lonavla and Panvel . There are a few hundred temples in Mumbai, some ancient and popular, some small and known only to the locals. But they exist as magnets of peace and quiet, spread all across this urban sprawl, indicating that the bustling com- mercial capital always has a moment to spare for faith and prayer. The name Mumbai is itself derived from Mumba Devi, the deity representing Mother Earth. Many of the city’s suburbs also bear the names of the temples they house. The immediate vicinity of most temples are full of colourful markets selling garlands, incense, and other things related to worship, signifying a blend of commerce and faith, in many ways an apt description for this pulsating city. Mumba Aai (mother Mumba) or Devi gave Mumbai its name. The goddess, who sits astride a tiger and is revered as Mother Earth, is said to be the guardian deity of the Kolis (fisherfolk) who were the city’s first settlers. She slayed the asura Mumba- raka and remained to rule the hearts of her devotees forever. The temple is currently in the locality also called Mumbadevi, but originally stood in the exact spot where the Victoria (Chhatrapati Shivaji) Termi-nus now is . A small group of seven islands, namely, Colaba, Old Woman’s Island (now known as Malabar Hill), Mumbadevi, Mazgaon, Worli, Parel-Sion and Mahim, collectively called Bombay and inhabited primarily by the Kolis, was where the British set up a commercial hub in the late 1600s. Thus most of Mumbai’s colonial architecture, including landmarks such as the Gateway of India, Flora Fountain, the Prince of Wales Museum and the Rajabai Clock Tower among them, is to be found beyond Central Bombay to the ends of South Bombay. Most of these heritage structures still stand strong, even though little is being done to maintain them well, as they stand braving the intense Mumbai mon- soon, which lashes the city for almost five months every year. Mumbai grew into India’s most populous metropolis as more and more people from other parts of India were drawn to the promise of this ‘dream city’ of better opportunities . Though a vast city spread across 55 km , Mumbai is traversed thanks to it mostly reliable but crowded local train network, divided into three sections Tines: Central, Western and Harbour. The Central Railway (CR) line operates between en Thane (a district-suburb to the me north-east, out of the Greater city limits, separated from the and by a creek) and the Chhatrapati Terminus (CST, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, situated at the southern end of the city). The Western Railway (WR) line runs between Virar in north to Churchgate, also to the south. The Harbour line connects CST and Navi Mumbai, another district to the north-east. The two key terminals, CST and where Churchgate, are at a walking distance of about 11/2 km from each other, but the trains that ply from them spread out to different directions of the city (the central suburbs and western suburbs respectively). It’s convenient, not to forget cheap, to use ely, the public transport system to access Mumbai’s many wonders. Newcomers should avoid travelling in local trains vely during peak office rush hours in the mornings and evenings.
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