Mumbai, India Hotels and City Guide

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the most populated city in India. A melting pot of diverse culture, traditions, modern fashions and corporate headquarters, Mumbai attracts a lot of visitors from other parts of India as well as the rest of the world. The city is also the centre of the glamorous Indian film industry - popularly known as Bollywood.

Mumbai is formed by a cluster of seven islands; Colaba, Mahim, Girgaum, Mazgaon, Parel, Worli and Dongri. The city gets its name from Mumbadevi, goddess of the Koli fishing community, who were the early inhabitants of Mumbai. It was initially ruled by the Hindus - including the famous King Ashoka, and later the city was part of the kingdom of Gujarat. After a period of Portuguese rule, the British gained power of Mumbai when Charles II received the seven islands as a wedding present. Gerald Aungier was a pioneer in developing Mumbai and the city has not looked back since then.

The present day Mumbai is the economic backbone of India. Famous for its textile industry and the massive seaport, the city has more recently gained recognition in the areas of engineering, healthcare and information technology as well.

As one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India, Mumbai has embraced other cultures and lifestyles enthusiastically. The wide range of cuisine available will tantalize the local and the international palate and the vivacious festivals, numerous art galleries and museums offer something for everyone visiting the city.

Mumbai Facts

Population: 18,336,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)

India Population: 1,096,917,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)

Currency: Indian Rupees

Time Zone: IST(UTC+5:30)

Language: Hindi, English, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Urdu, Malayalam, Telugu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Konkani, Nepali and Kannada

Hotels in Mumbai, India