The city that never sleeps. A melting pot of cultures. The financial capital of India. Mumbai is
often described using these words and a lot more. But what people usually miss out on is the
Mumbai with its inexhaustible surprises. You could be living in this city all your life and still find
new things tucked away in some corner, or right in the middle of the city.
Here are some such places that definitely deserve your time when you’re in the city.
Kileshwar -
On the other side of Mumbai lies a boat slipway at the absolute end of Madh. A place where
boats can slip in and out of water, it offers a panoramic view of Mumbai’s western coastline.
Standing there you can witness the Versova rock beach, silver beach, Juhu chowpatty, Carter
Road promenade and if you look close enough, you will see a glorious but a faint glimpse of the
Bandra-Worli sea link. There is something surreal about this place, could be the hushed sound
of the crashing waves, or the magnificent view of Mumbai from a completely different
perspective. You just need to stand there and take it all in because it makes for an incredible
experience.
Railway Museum -
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus has been a sight to
marvel at for decades, for residents of the city as well as tourists. Little do people know that the
key to our glorious railways lies right in the middle of the station. The railway museum opens its
doors to the general public only for 2 hours on weekdays. The heritage tour lasts for an hour
taking you back in time with a display of old artefacts associated with the Indian Railways. The
tour then goes into the CST station, allowing you to look into the station from the quaint galleries
lined along the station to scrutinize and marvel at the Gothic yet grand architecture.
Candies -
Tucked away into the bylanes of Pali Hill, Candies is what you call quirky in its purest forms.
The people who know about it will only have good things to tell you. A five-floor cafe with
winding steps, a room of lamps, furniture straight out of an antique store and the weirdest yet
amazing collection of music, it also boasts of a boutique with all pinterest-ty articles. With a
multi-cuisine menu serving you everything from Chinese to Indian to American and European,
they make sure they serve the best of everything. You’ll often find old couples having breakfast
in the morning, while the teenagers will be laughing away with a table full of food, a beautiful
paradox.
Bhuleshwar Market -
A market famous for all things pretty. Bhuleshwar Market in Churchgate is one of the oldest, but
not forgotten, markets of the city. Bustling with bargaining women all days of the week, it is well
known for jewellery, traditional wear, footwear and food. A wholesale rate at all the retail stores,
it is one of the most sought after markets for wedding shopping. Filled to the brim during
Navratris, one will find themselves lost in the array of shops. Almost inaccessible via vehicles,
you need to get down and experience this market on foot. Most of the shops here have a long
lineage, and you’ll get to know all about it while they show you what they have to offer. Every
story will leave you with something to cherish.
Zaveri Bazaar Khau Galli -
The one time jewellery hub of Mumbai, Zaveri Bazaar is still well regarded because of its roots
in the history of Bombay. But other than a thriving jewellery business, it has also stood
testimony to the eccentric yet delectable street food. The food stalls here are as old as the
bazaar itself. Offering relief to the hard-working jewellers and shoppers alike. The street food
here is nothing like you will find in the rest of the city. Be it Mohanbhai’s bread pudla or khichya
papad. Every dish has traced its way through the ever-changing Mumbai, but stood its ground
nonetheless.
Although being highly commercialised over the years, Mumbai still pays homage to its roots by
keeping these gems alive. One just needs to keep a close lookout and you never know what
you might find.
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