What do you do when you have an upcoming four-day long weekend? Do you decide to find solace in the comfort of your home, or do you have an inexplicable urge to go and explore a new city altogether? The fall season in India generally has a string of festivities lined up one after the other. So, after Durga Pujo (or Dussehra/Navratri), Diwali is an occasion of great gala across India. This is also widely regarded as the ‘festival of lights’, with every home being decorated by fancy lights and cities having a literal glow-up.
Mumbai is one city that I have always yearned to visit; I had heard many tales of its vibrance and the fact that it truly is the City of Dreams. Had this trip not been, I would have been stationed in Chennai during the Diwali weekend, with not much to do alone. So, just ahead of Diwali and in the nick of time, I ended up booking my tickets for Mumbai. Completely unplanned, and not having an idea of what next was to be done. Yet, it ended up as amongst one of the best solo trips I’ve undertaken, and I soaked in much of the culture and cuisine with glee. This would be a brief reminiscence of my experiences, for the wanderlust souls who want to plan a similar trip, and for my future self to pan through my own encounters in vivid detail.
Carving a Plan
A prudent first step after an ad-hoc booking like mine is to prepare a plan on covering some of the must-visits. The itinerary had to fit a five-day sojourn stretching from Thursday (31st October ’24) to Monday (4th November ’24). While GPT did a decent job at covering the essentials, there is nothing better than asking the locals! In that endeavour, I reached out to my network based out of Mumbai for suggestions.
The brief was clear- Mumbai has to be ‘lived, felt and experienced’, rather than be ‘covered’. Although it might appear trivial, it encapsulates the secret to fall in love with the city. Instead of ticking checklists, it is better to have one’s feet on the ground, zigzagging through the avenues, lanes and gullies across Mumbai, and certainly also reserving space for savoring the lip-smacking delicacies. It so happens that the bustling part is in South Mumbai where most of the iconic heritage sites and places of interest are situated. I managed to snatch a great value-for-money private twin bedroom in Colaba. My trip was now rolling into reality!
As I had around four days to spend here, there was no need to cram spots on the itinerary. The plan was roughly partitioned into covering South Mumbai, exploring heritage sites like Elephanta, central Mumbai such as Dadar, Mahalaxmi, and further north to cover Bandra and adjoining areas. Here is the link for those wanting the original Excel itinerary that I sketched.
Arrival and South Mumbai exploration
A flight from Chennai to Mumbai usually takes around two hours. I had a morning Vistara flight around 9:30 AM which would land estimated 11:30 on arrival. On my day of departure, contrary to expectations of long snarly lines, much to my (positive) surprise the airports hardly had people transiting. Perhaps most had already left for their hometown earlier – I happened to get lucky and escape the maddening crowds. Soon after, I boarded the flight, and in no time, I had touched down in Mumbai.
The airport is twenty plus kilometers away from Colaba, so it was a long ride to the Airbnb stay. The city greets one with its commanding skyline and we can only appreciate how beautiful this looks. This is a click I captured from the cab on the way from airport.
I checked in to my Airbnb stay around 1PM in the afternoon. Even after having grown acclimatized to the Chennai brand of climate- notorious for high temperatures throughout the year, Mumbai felt searing hot by all standards! The room that I had booked was part of a 4BHK penthouse, which had been tastefully furnished. This was situated in close proximity to Cuffe Parade, an affluent business hub.
My first escapade in the city commenced by hailing a kaali-peeli (good, old-school local taxis) that operate by the meter. There were sayings that most local drivers were very amiable and had great appetite to talk; and I couldn’t vouch for it more! On my way to lunch at the iconic Gaylord at Churchgate, driver bhaiya and I had a quick chit-chat about the city, its merits, its vices, and how it nurtured everyone who took shelter in it. These taxis operate by the ‘meter’, so there is usually no hassle about upfront negotiation.
I reached Gaylord shortly and with my stomach rumbling with hunger, I decided to give their famous Chicken a-La Kiev a try. It was delicious and done quite right. The beauty of the a-la Kiev is that as you cut into the ball of chicken, the buttery sauce pours out into the bed of rice, which you then pair with the cheesy chicken breast inside the fried outer coating. It was so worth the wait and definitely lived up to the good reviews I had read online. But what is a meal without a dessert wrapping it up? There was no missing the famed Rustom’s ice-cream, which was barely a walking distance away on the same pavement. Rustom’s is a hundred-year-old chemist-turned-icecream shop that make their own ice-cream sandwiches. Interestingly, it is a cash-only store in this zamana of digital banking. I settled for a ‘walnut crunch’. The taste was delectable, and the crisp wafers made it even better.
After my taste buds approved of the mélange of flavors it had been subjected to over the last couple of hours, I decided to head towards Jehangir Art Gallery. The Jehangir Art Gallery is open to public and has exhibitions of art from many famed contemporary artists, with varying styles. Despite not having walked in with many expectations, admittedly I left deeply impressed. The photorealism of some of the paintings were immense, and the rest struck a chord as well. Next on my cards was visiting the iconic Gateway of India, a landmark monument set up by the British to commemorate the landing of George V in India. The Gateway being a prime tourist attraction, has round-the-clock dense crowds packed into an enclosure area. One side of it opens up into the Arabian sea, while the other rests in the shadow of the Taj Hotel. At sunset, the monument and its backdrop looked even prettier.
With sunset fast approaching, I hopped onto another taxi to reach Marine Drive from the Gateway. When in Mumbai, a sunset at Marine Drive is unmissable. The Marine Drive is a sea-facing corridor, stretching from Nariman Point at the southern end to the Chowpatty beach further up. One does not need an agenda to visit this stretch of land. After alighting near the Trident Hotel and securing a spot to sit, I flung my legs towards the sea- enjoying the steady yet pleasant breeze that was blowing. The laws of physics seemed to bend as time flowed by, and somehow, one would never realize.
Even though twilight set in, the day was far from done. A recommendation I had received was to try out an open-air double decker bus tour, which leaves from near the Colaba Causeway and goes around the city crossing the Bandra-Worli Sea Link before heading back towards the same spot. Without a doubt, this was one of the best memories I had signed up for. After positioning myself near a corner in the open upper deck, it was delightful to watch the city zoom by from the vantage point of the higher tier. Perhaps, on Diwali, the city wanted to present itself all decked up- and must I say, I was bowled.
This was certainly so much more than I had ever expected to do on my first day at Mumbai! All of this was so enthralling. Truly, the bliss of travelling to a new city and exploring as much is unrivaled. It was time for dinner by the time the bus tour got over. I locked onto Bagdadi, again a heritage restaurant, and which coincidentally was also strictly a cash-only establishment.
Being a single person to queue up at a rush hour is never a good idea – but thanks to the city’s cosmopolitan mix, luck was in store. I got paired to sit with another bachelor living in Navi Mumbai, who happened to hail from Bhubaneshwar. As I dug into the succulent chicken fry and biriyani, we instantly connected over our shared cultural identity (Bengali & Odia) and the fact that I had been in Bhubaneshwar for two years during my undergraduate days. More often than not, we are humbled to realise that the world is indeed a small place.
It was finally the end of the first day – and I was glad to call it curtains. There was more awaiting the next day, after all.
Nuggets from Elephanta and a Bandra blitz
The second day had to start with a visit to the Elephanta Caves, which is situated off the coast of Mumbai. A trip to Elephanta, is at the very minimum, a half-day affair. Ferries start from the Gateway of India to the Gharapuri Island (where the caves are located) from around 8:30 AM, and return ferries resume from around noon towards the city. Determined to make most of the day, I started early. There had to be, however, a sumptuous breakfast that could propel and provide enough energy to make it past the first half of the day. I hit Leopold Cafe, one of the places to have been in the unfortunate crosshairs of the deadly 26/11 terror attacks, at 7.30 sharp. After having a grilled club sandwich and fresh watermelon extract, I felt prepared to conquer the day.
To catch a ride towards Elephanta, one needs to buy return tickets that are available from agents in the premises of the Gateway itself. As I reached fairly early around 8:30 AM, it was less crowded, but still a sizeable number of people had showed up. We were led to the stairs behind the Gateway monument into boats that had been parked next to each other. As the boat departed with the morning sunrays peeking through, I couldn’t help but appreciate how serene the harbour appeared.
The journey through the ferry roughly takes about an hour. Upon reaching the island, an arduous climb awaits to reach the spot of the Elephanta Caves. The uphill climb is dotted with multiple stop points for visitors to take a break. I was not among the souls ready to give up! Although it was strenuous, my adrenaline-injected legs catapulted me to the zenith sooner than I expected. The island, being almost fully dependent on tourist revenue, has multiple checkpoints to collect taxes and ensure that tickets for entry are purchased prior to entering the premises.
Despite having done a bit of background study on the Elephanta prior to arriving, I deemed it best to hire the services of a local guide who seemed fairly erudite about the history of the caves. In hindsight, it was a good decision as it gave me far more context and understanding into the structure of the caves and how each of the carvings came to be. Originally built around the 8th century BC, it was damaged by the Portuguese settlers before being restored by the British. The intricacies surrounding the carvings will leave one starstruck. It is so hard to believe that such exquisite art was sculpted by cutting through basalt rock, eons ago! Today, the site has been designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the damaged sections have been restored by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Covering the five caves takes around two hours at the lower end. Having completed a round of the caves around 11:30 and still had having time before the return ferries would have commenced, I went on to visit the Cannon Hill. The Cannon Hill offers a good panoramic viewpoint to observe the Atal Setu and the island. After a while, I finally climbed all the way down and took the return ferry. Safe to say, I was literally exhausted – the caves and the climb to Cannon Hill take a decent toll on your body and legs, and the heat (remember?) does no good. I managed a spot to sit in the ferry, and before I realized I passed out. Upon landing back at the Gateway, I took a cab towards the revered Cafe Mondegar – and munched through a plate of fish and chips with a chilled Hoegaarden.
After a packed first half, a couple of hours in the late afternoon was reserved to allow for some resting time. The evening was to be spent around Bandra and exploring its many offerings. A coincidental discovery was that Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood’s Badshah and arguably the most popular Indian film actor in contemporary times, had his birthday on 2nd November. It has been a yearly tradition where Shah Rukh comes out at Mannat (his residence) to greet hordes of fans who arrive to wish him. I was eager to have a slice of that experience. As visiting Mannat was a midnight activity, I headed out towards the Jio World Drive shopping complex- one of Bandra’s leading malls- in the evening to spend a while. Soon after exploring the mall, I proceeded towards Elco market, a local shopping hub with a very vibrant cast. There was no resisting some authentic Mumbai ka panipuri, which was like a burst of flavours with each puri I popped!
At a short distance from Elco market was Mount Mary’s Basilica, a Victorian-era church that was like an island of calm amidst the buzz of Bandra. For a change, autos are allowed to ply on this segment. Offering my prayers before Mother Mary was reminiscent of my convent days where we had a church within the school premises.
After all the sightseeing and touring Mumbai like a local, I could sense hunger gnawing at me. It was time to tick another recommendation – Perch Wine & Coffee, Bandra. It is located off Carter Road and boasts of specialty cocktails and a must-try: Baileys’ Infused Desserts! The food menu was not that great, and I would rate it average at best. The Baileys dessert, however, was out of the park!
Post dinner was the time to hit the superstar’s alley (or so I thought!). Alas, due to a high threat perception and increased security detail, fans were not permitted into the hallowed area in and around midnight in a break from tradition. This was honestly a bummer – but as they say, every dejection comes with a silver lining. Mumbai’s heartbeat is its suburban train network. To escape the crowds that were swelling up near the police chokepoint, I took an auto for Bandra station. The plan was to head towards Churchgate, which was much closer to Colaba. In no time, I was aboard a Mumbai suburban – adding one more ‘experience’ to my growing bucket of memories. The midnight local had a relaxed setting, and contrary to my expectations, I found a seat – guess that was a win!
I headed straight for my residence after arriving at Churchgate station and crashed. That concluded two straight days of high energy.
Of Spirituality and Heritage
After a tightly scheduled first two days in Mumbai, I had a relatively sparse itinerary on the third day. I had all the liberty to wake up later and headed out for a leisurely breakfast at a coffee shop near Mahalaxmi. I intended cover some spiritual landmarks in the daytime. Post a light breakfast, I started my day with a visit to the Mama Haji Ali dargah, which is at arms’ distance from the Haji Ali islet but is a lot less crowded. It had a tranquil energy surrounding the main shrine. The monument was crafted beautifully and still retains much of its original British-era designs.
Next enroute was the Shree Siddhivinayak mandir, a revered temple that worships Lord Ganpati. Ganpati deva is by far the most celebrated Hindu deity in Mumbai, and the Ganpati festival is extremely popular. Because of the Diwali weekend, the temple was quite crowded again – but I was motivated to visit inside, come what may. As there was no puja offering to be made, I joined the common darshan line which moved at a brisk pace. I was blessed to have a glimpse of Ganpati Bappa, albeit at a distance from the sanctum sanctorum.
Having completed my Siddhivinayak darshan in about forty-five minutes and with time still to spare before lunch, I thought it might be worth make it to other notable temples in Mumbai- such as the Mahalaxmi temple. However, on reaching there I found that the temple had a serpentine queue, and it would easily take me three to four hours to enter the premises. Dejected, I headed for the Mumba Devi temple near Marine Drive. However, it turned out even worse in terms of the number of people who had reached there before me, also waiting for their turn. I resigned to God (the irony!) and decided it was perhaps in the best interests that I visit some other time.
As it had been nearing noon, Pizza by the Bay was on my radar for the lunch plan. Located at the enviable intersection of Marine Drive and Churchgate lane, the restaurant was neatly maintained and had a lot of people in attendance for a hot Saturday afternoon. I settled for a thin-bread pizza along with a lychee iced tea, a must have to cool down amidst the scorching sun. I finished my meal with a tres leches– after all, it is critical to sign off on the right note!
Like the previous day, the afternoon hours were free to avoid exposure to the sun. After a couple of hours of catching up on some shuteye, I was out again. I went to the Marine Drive and spent some time by myself in solitude, appreciating the privileges that I had, and being truly grateful that I was able to plan this trip so spontaneously. An evening at Marine Drives gives a taste of the people and culture from all over the country – there is something innately beautiful about it that transcends everything else.
Mumbai is also synonymous to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – Mumbai’s biggest railway station and a hub for millions of people to pass through daily. The Gothic-era designed station is decorated with lights in the evening, which is usually the best time to visit. As platform tickets were disabled due to Diwali rush, I booked a ticket to Masjid Bandar (next station to the CST), only to venture inside the station to and see the impressive structure firsthand.
CST provides a glimpse into the lives of so many, fraught with struggles of varying magnitudes, yet all brought together under this one roof in the quest to complete their individual journeys. Quite metaphorical, but it is only in moments like these that we realise how the average person is deprived of comforts that we take for granted. After spending over an hour at the junction, I headed for a quiet dinner at the Mockingbird Cafe before retiring for the day.
Counting the Lasts
Sunday was the last of the complete days that I had at Mumbai, as my return ticket was booked for Monday the 4th. The beauty of having a relaxed itinerary was that there was a lot of flexibility to plan my day out in advance. My day started by paying a visit to Coffee by di Bella, a prominent cafe in Mahim. Sipping a hot Spanish latte accompanied by a Mexican burrito, I booked myself an art exhibition ticket for the Nita Mukesh Ambani Convention Centre (NMACC) at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) for the afternoon.
The NMACC was inaugurated earlier last year and serves as a stage for exhibitions from both domestic and international artists of merit. Having heard of its opulence, I got tickets for Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror room installation. It was so totally worth it – once you walk into the exhibition room, you feel blended into an infinite mesh of glowing orbs of light surrounding you from all over. It was nothing like I have seen earlier and was a lovely experience to have.
After exiting NMACC, which was in Bandra East, an inkling led me to check Google Maps for traffic restrictions near Mannat, which I had missed out on the earlier day. A surprise was in store – a day after his birthday, the police had lifted restrictions, and the public were allowed to visit near Mannat. Without further thought, I got into a local auto to Mannat. I arrived at a time when a fairly decent crowd was already thronging outside the Mannat, ostensibly because they were blocked a day before. But this was my chance. I could not miss it, and I did not. Here’s a click taken by a kind stranger.
As I had a moderately heavy brunch at di Bella, I was not in a rush to have lunch. I hailed a taxi back to Colaba and spent the afternoon at leisure.
At evening, I met an old school friend at the CST terminus again. We went to the Ashok Vada Pav stall at Dadar near the Siddhivinayak temple, which is revered by many as the best vada pav place in town. I can blindly second it – it was impeccable! Add to that the view of the Worli Sea Link over twilight while munching into the crispy patty and the soft pav, and it is quite a trade.
The highlight of the evening was most certainly the dinner. We had dinner at the famous Parsi restaurant, Jimmy Boy at Horniman Circle. This was my first try at Parsi food, and I was totally blown away by the rich flavours and innovation they had in their cuisine, a far cry from other typical Indian dishes. We ended up ordering their all-time best-seller Raspberry soda, Chicken Farcha, and pav with mutton-cutlet gravy. Needless to say, all of it was devoured in no time.
After bidding my friend goodbye, I proceeded to walk from the Colaba Causeway to my Airbnb – a twenty-minute walk covering over a kilometer- to fully soak in whatever was left of the trip. On reaching home, I had a shower to get fresh and then tucked myself in the bed for some well-deserved sleep time.
Reflections and beyond
After a whirlwind Mumbai tour over a span of four days, it was time to bid adieu to the lovely city. Right from the start till the end of my vacation, I felt energised by the infectious vibe that Mumbai offers to the unassuming traveller. There is a reason, after all, as to why it is the city that never sleeps. Countless hopes are built here, and even greater numbers find themselves in this modern maze of a city. All throughout, I met so many ajnabees that felt close at a second’s conversation, and I was welcomed everywhere I went even though I belonged to none here. Perhaps, my recollections can be best summarized by this couplet by Majrooh Sultanpuri:
मैं अकेला ही चला था जानिब-ए-मंज़िल मगर
लोग साथ आते गए और कारवाँ बनता गया
(I had set out alone in this journey, but people came together, and a caravan formed along the way)
I hope to return to Mumbai someday again. I have forged a special bond with the city and cannot let it go. I will keep returning, if not for anything, just to feel the hustle which no other city in India can match. I started the tour as a weekend getaway, but I left with a heart full of gratitude and a bag full of memories.