Colaba - tourmet

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Sight Address : Colaba,Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg | near Colaba Bus Station, Mumbai, India.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

The unofficial headquarters of Mumbai’s tourist scene, Colaba sprawls down the city’s southernmost peninsula. It’s a bustling district packed with street stalls, markets, bars and budget to midrange lodgings. Colaba Causeway (Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg) bisects the promontory and is the traffic-filled artery connecting Colaba’s jumble of side streets and gently crumbling mansions. Sassoon Dock, south of the main tourist action, is a scene of intense and pungent activity at dawn (around 05:00) when colourfully clad Koli fisher-women sort the catch unloaded from fishing boats at the quay. The fish drying in the sun are bombil, the fish used in the dish Bombay duck. Photography at the dock is forbidden without permission from the Mumbai Port Trust While you’re here, it’s worth popping into the 1847 Church of St John the Evangelist, known as the Afghan Church (dedicated to British forces killed in the bloody 1838-43 First Afghan War. During the more reasonable hours of the day, nearby Colaba Market (Lala Nigam St) has plenty of activity and colour and is lined with jewellery shops and fruit and veg stalls.

HistoryEdit

The name Colaba, comes from Kolabhat, a word in the language of Kolis, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands, before the arrival of Portuguese.[2] The area that is now Colaba was originally a region consisting of two islands: Colaba and Little Colaba (or Old Woman’s Island). The island of Colaba was one of the Seven islands of Bombay ruled by the Portuguese. The Portuguese had acquired these lands from the Sultanate of Cambay by the Treaty of Bassein (1534). The group of islands was given by Portugal to Charles II of England as dowry when he married Catherine of Braganza. The cession of Bombay and dependencies was strongly resented by Portuguese officials in Goa and Bombay, who resisted transfer of possession for several years, while the English representatives were confined to the island of Anjediva while negotiations continued. Angered by the back-tracking, Charles II leased these lands to the British East India Company for a nominal annual rent. Gerald Aungier, second Governor of Bombay (1672), and the president of the English settlement of Surat, took possession of Colaba and Old Woman’s Island on behalf of the Company in 1675.Portugal continued to hold Little Colaba island for several decades more before ceding it to the English in about 1762, subject to the retention of Portuguese ownership of a house on the island, that is now the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Middle Colaba. This was leased by the Portuguese Government of Goa to the Bishop of Damao, the head of the Padroado party in Bombay, as his residence. After an attempt by the Propaganda Fide party to seize the chapel, a court ruled that the house remained the property of the Government of Portugal and evicted the Propaganda Fide party.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

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Closed OnEdit

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Best Season to VisitEdit

October to March.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon , Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

1-2 hours.

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A.

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Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

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Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

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Guide Required : No Edit

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Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

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Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Metered taxis are a useful mode of transport in Mumbai. Since they are metered, they are economical and also relatively comfortable. However night fares are more expensive and charts for calculating fares are available online. It might be sensible to use one particular taxi throughout the stay, as most taxi drivers have mobile phones they can be contacted easily. While the regular tariff is Rs 14 per km, the night charges is around Rs 18 per km. Private taxi services are also available and they ply according to the government rates. Some of the main operators are – Meru Taxis- Contact No (+91 2240520100),Mumbai taxi- Contact No (+91 2244224422),International airport cabs Contact No (+91 228366767) , Domestic airport cabs-Contact No (+91 226152257),Classic taxi service- Contact No (+91 93711067115).

Bus : BEST bus services are second most extensive intra city transport system. Mumbai has an excellent road transportation system. State owned buses connect Mumbai to all neighbouring points. Many Deluxe and Super Deluxe buses are available to travel in and out of the city. Bus fare is about Rs 3 to 4 per kilometer.

Train : Mumbai is the headquarters of Indian railway system. Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Station is the major one which connects all most parts of Indian cities to Mumbai. Other railway stations in Mumbai are Dadar and Kurla, and Churchgate. Suburban railway is the backbone of the transport system. Three main railway lines connect most of the city. Trains are always on time and economical, however they might be crowded in peak hours. The basic fare may range from 5 INR to 100 INR. The trains run from 4 am to 1pm, and there are trains arriving at the station every five minutes. It is also advisable to take care of valuables even in the first class section. Rush hour constitutes office timings from 8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 7pm. The traveller should avoid the rush hour. Women travellers can make use of the separate women compartments and they might be less crowded than the general compartments.

Air : Mumbai has its own domestic and international airport, known as Chatrapati Shivaji international airport , Located 30 km from centre of the city, Nariman Point and 4 km from the domestic terminal of Santa Cruz, this airport operates 24X7. Almost all airlines provide services to Mumbai. Mumbai is well connected to all major cities in India and also connected to many cities abroad including Singapore, New York, Bangok, Hong Kong and to many gulf cities. Taxi and Autorickshws is easily available from airport to City. Inquiry number for domestic airport – 26264145/26264000. Airlines no. GoAir- Tel.No:55420082, Jet Airways- Tel.No:22823275, Kingfisher Airlines Ltd- Tel.No:56499393 Ph No: 011-3295126. Air India -Ph: 91 22 2279 6666, Air Sahara- Ph No: (022) 22836000, (022) 56981111.

Others : Auto richshaws: The auto rickshaws of Mumbai are the most common means of transport and are cheap also. they charge Rs 9 for the first 1.6 km and Rs 5 for km covered afterwards. The night charge is 25% more of the total charge. However, one needs to be careful as these auto rickshaws use longer routes in order to increase their fare amount.

Things to CarryEdit

It is advisable to take lots of drinkable water with you from Mumbai itself. And also camera.

Safety / WarningEdit

All Travellers should be absolutely careful about their handbags and mobile phones.
For women, where available, use women’s only areas/compartments on public transportation. Never ride in the general men’s compartment.
If not taking a prepaid taxi or a metered taxi/rickshaw, negotiate the fare before taking off.