South Mumbai

Life in South Mumbai. A recent cover story in a leading magazine judged the South Mumbai constituency as the most prosperous Parliament Constituency in India. And few months in Colaba has shown me why?

South Mumbai mainly refers to the part of Mumbai below Mumbai Central consisting of Marine Lines, CST, Churchgate, Nariman Point ,Cuffe Parade, Colaba, Walkeshwar etc. The Mumbai where you dont find autos. The Mumbai which is a superb fusion of the Victorian and the Manhattanish Architecture. The Mumbai which not only is the financial hub of the country but also lends the city its distinguish Anglo-Indian culture. The Mumbai which is home to some of the big shot industrialists and celebrities

Lets start from the place where I live, Colaba. Its the southernmost part of Mumbai and one of the seven islands that form Mumbai. Colaba essentially can be divided into two parts. The first consists of the Market and the Colaba Causeway which is one of the busiest places you will ever find. Anytime you go there and you will find a cosmopolitan group of people charging up and down. This part is also the home to famous Regal Cinema ,Gateway of India, Jagangir Art Gallery, the extremely famous Cafe Mondegar and Leopold etc.
And there is this other part which consists of the naval establishment. You find amazed at the serenity of the place. With buildings like the Afghan Church and the Colaba Barracks punctuating the area, and with a land strip of mere 3-4 km seperating the sea, its a beautiful place to live in.

Near Colaba besides the Backbay Reclamation lies the Cuffe Parade. The most posh residential area of Mumbai. Just the height of the buildings on either side of the road lives you gasping. And the cars parked outside! All the brands you can only dream of.

Therafter comes Churchgate station and my personal favourite the Marine Drive or the Queen's Necklace as it is called, a 3 km curved boulevard that stretches from Nariman Point to Malabar Hill. Walking along it with drops of water resembling pearls, touching your cheeks or the gush of wind ruffling your hair, its one of the most amazing experiences in todays hectic world.

At the base of marine Drive is the Nariman Point, India's answer to the Manhattan. Huge sky scrappers home to some of the biggest and the best offices.

Slightly ahead of Churchgate lies the CST (formerly Victoria Terminus) and the Fort area. Perhaps the busiest part of the South Mumbai area. Several parallel roads with cars zooming around, people walking at a brisk pace least bothered about the world around them. Walking in CST and the Fort area gives you a very different feeling. I am struggling to find words for it, the architecture, the roads,the general feel gives a unique "nostalgic" feeling as if you are transferred back to your previous birth!


Well you can go on and on describing this part of the world but lets leave it here