Mumbai

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the largest city in India and capital of the state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, the sixth most populous city in the world, the commercial capital of India, and is home to the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. It is also the entertainment capital of India, being home to Bollywood, and also the Marathi film and television industry. The city boasts of some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes like BARC, NPCL, TIFR, and the Department of Atomic Energy. With its many opportunities and potential to offer a higher standard of living, Mumbai attracts migrants from all over the country, making it a potpourri of many communities and cultures.

Eating Out!

Mumbai offers cuisines from all over the world but visitors would be missing out if they didn't have at least several Indian meals prepared in the various styles of different regions of the country.

SpiceJet Recommendations!

Dakshin (South Indian), Sahar Road, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton, Andheri.

Copper Chimney (Indian), 12-A Lotus Court, Dr. Annie Besant Rd., Worli.

Thai Pavilion (Thai), Taj President Mumbai, 90, Cuffe Parade.

Leopold Café (Eclectic), Colaba Causeway, Colaba.

Britannia (Middle Eastern), Ram Gulam Rd. (opp New Customs House, Ballard Estate, Fort).

Indigo (International), 4 Mandlik House, Colaba.

Mani's Lunch Home (South Indian), No. 153/C. Mhaskar Building, Matunga.

Mahesh Lunch Home (Seafood), 8-B, Cawasji Patel Street, Fort.

Shopping

With a long list of shopping destinations and bargain hunting places, from bustling street bazaars to exclusive trendy malls, Mumbai is shopping heaven. Crawford Market, just north of CST station, is famous for eatables, flowers and fruits, and Zaveri Bazaar, to the north of Crawford Market is famous for its jewellery. Fashion Street in Colaba is the best place for apparel shopping, while Chor Bazar on Mutton Street, in the heart of Muslim Mumbai, is famous for antiquities, wooden articles, leatherware and curios. Three popular shopping destinations are Eternia at Breach Candy, Shopper's Stop on S.V.Road in Andheri, and Crossroads near the Haji Ali Durgah at Tardeo. If you're shopping in Bandra, make time to visit the very upmarket Frazer and Haws store (Landmark Bldg., Pali Naka, Bandra), which carries eclectic works of art, including idols of Indian Gods and Goddesses.

Places to Stay

SpiceJet Connections

Sight-seeing

Events & Festivals

  • Ganesh Chaturthi/Visarjan (around September)
    Mumbai's biggest and most atmospheric festival honours Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of good fortune and remover of obstacles. Every year on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Bhaadrapada (which normally falls in August or September), thousands of brightly painted clay images of Ganesh are displayed in pandals (tents) around Mumbai. The festival cultimates in the Ganesh Visarjan, with thousands of processions converging on Mumbai's beaches to immerse the idols in the sea, accompanied by drum beats, devotional songs and dancing.
  • Navaratri Puja (September-October)
    While not on the same scale as the festivities in West Bengal or the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities earlier in the city, Navaratri is celebrated with fervour in Mumbai, with the traditional dandiya and garba. Over the past two decades a number of urban innovations have crept into this performance, beginning with the emergence of disco dandiya. This jazzed-up dance with pop music in the background dominates Navaratri in Mumbai.