Mumbai

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the most populous city in India. Located on the western coast of India along the Arabian Sea, Mumbai is the country's principal financial, commercial and entertainment centre. It is home to the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the Reserve Bank of India, and the headquarters of numerous Indian conglomerates and multinational corporations. The city is also the centre of the Hindi film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, as well as the Marathi film and television industry.

Key facts

Geography

Mumbai is situated on the Konkan coast and was historically a group of seven islands — Bombay Island, Colaba, Old Woman's Island (Little Colaba), Mahim, Mazagaon, Parel and Worli — inhabited by the Koli fishing community. Through a series of land reclamation projects from the 18th century onwards, these islands were merged into a single landmass, today often referred to as the Mumbai or Salsette peninsula. The city is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and south, and is connected to the mainland through the suburbs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Sanjay Gandhi National Park, one of the few protected forest areas located within a major city, lies in the northern part of Mumbai.

History

Early history

The islands that form modern Mumbai have a long history of human settlement, with archaeological evidence pointing to occupation since prehistoric times. Over the centuries, the islands were ruled by various dynasties including the Mauryas, Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Silharas and the Yadavas of Devagiri. The Delhi Sultanate gained control in the 14th century, after which the islands passed to the Gujarat Sultanate.

Portuguese and British periods

In 1534, the Sultan of Gujarat ceded the islands to the Portuguese under the Treaty of Bassein. The Portuguese referred to the area as Bom Bahia, from which the name "Bombay" is generally believed to derive. In 1661, the islands were transferred to the English Crown as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza on her marriage to King Charles II of England. In 1668, the Crown leased the islands to the East India Company, which made Bombay the headquarters of its operations on the western coast.

Under British administration, Bombay grew rapidly as a port and commercial centre, particularly after the opening of the Bombay–Thane railway in 1853 — the first passenger railway in India — and the cotton boom triggered by the American Civil War in the 1860s. The Hornby Vellard and subsequent reclamation projects unified the islands. The Indian National Congress held its first session in Bombay in 1885.

Post-independence

After Indian independence in 1947, Bombay became the capital of Bombay State. Following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, the state was reorganised on linguistic lines on 1 May 1960, and Bombay became the capital of the newly formed state of Maharashtra. The city was officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, derived from the local goddess Mumba Devi.

Civic administration

Mumbai is administered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the wealthiest municipal bodies in India. The city forms two revenue districts of Maharashtra — Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban — and is part of the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which includes Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar and other adjoining municipalities. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans and coordinates infrastructure across the region.

Economy

Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It hosts:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the country's central bank.
• The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Asia's oldest stock exchange, established in 1875.
• The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE).
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Headquarters of major institutions including the State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, and Tata Group.

The city is also a major port, with the Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (in Navi Mumbai) handling a significant share of India's maritime trade. Other important sectors include information technology, gems and jewellery, textiles, media, and tourism.

Transport

Mumbai is served by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, one of India's busiest airports. The city's suburban railway network, operated by the Central Railway and Western Railway zones of Indian Railways, is among the world's most heavily used commuter systems. The headquarters terminus, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other major transport links include the Mumbai Metro, BEST buses, the Mumbai Monorail, and projects such as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and the Mumbai Coastal Road.

Culture and education

Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city with significant Marathi, Gujarati, North Indian, South Indian, Parsi, Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities. It is the centre of the Hindi-language Bollywood film industry as well as Marathi cinema, theatre and television. Major cultural landmarks include the Gateway of India, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum), the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, Marine Drive, and the Elephanta Caves (a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on an island in Mumbai Harbour).

The city is home to leading educational and research institutions, including the University of Mumbai, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) at Powai, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay.

Notable events

• 1853: India's first passenger railway runs between Bombay and Thane.
• 1885: The Indian National Congress holds its inaugural session in Bombay.
• 1942: Mahatma Gandhi launches the Quit India Movement from Gowalia Tank Maidan.
• 1960: Bombay becomes the capital of Maharashtra following the formation of the state on 1 May.
• 1995: Bombay is officially renamed Mumbai.
• 2008: The city is struck by a series of coordinated terror attacks at multiple locations including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident, CST and Nariman House.

Related topics

• Maharashtra
• Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
• Bombay Stock Exchange
• Reserve Bank of India
• Bollywood
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
• Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Mumbai Metropolitan Region
• Elephanta Caves
• Konkan

References

• Wikidata entry: Q1156 — Mumbai
• Government of Maharashtra, official portal.
• Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, official publications.