The Gateway to Fountain walk through HopOn India app tells you the story of Bombay – how its past and present exist together and influence each other even today.
The most special features of this experience are : 1. The App opens up new places and new stories for you in the same old cities 2. Each walk is crafted like a masterpiece to offer an immersive experience to the traveller with the correct mix of history, culture, myth, food , through professional narration, with background scores of music, qawalli or sound affects, here and there 3. There is no need for you to depend on a guide - the traveller can take the walk anytime as per will, at his/ her own pace 4. The content is developed by domain experts and curated with utmost care, leaving no room for dependence on the guide's knowhow 5.You pay once for three months and need not pay the guide repeatedly.
This walk takes you through the oldest, the most beautiful and most famous district of Bombay
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ The tour can be accessed multiple times up to a certain validity period
✔ Audio Guided Walking Tour Through HopOn India App
✖ Headphones/Earphones (We request please carry your Headphones/Earphones)
✖ Hand Sanitizer (We suggest please carry Hand sanitizer)
Departure & Return
Departure:
,
We will start our walk once you reach the pavement immediately before the
Gateway of India compound. You will see the Taxi stop and
the security cordon at the entrance.
Itinerary
1
Gateway of India
The Gateway was a monument built to commemorate travel,
commerce - and, of course, the might of the British Empire. It
was the entry point into the most happening city of India,and
was named Urbs Prima in Indis or the foremost city in India by
the colonial administration. . It was the site of cotton trading
during the cotton boom. It was the port of entry into India for
important colonial officials, merchants and traders, and British
army officers. Ironically, it was also the point of exit for the
last British troops who had held India. The style of architecture you will be looking at is called the Indo-
Saracenic or Indo-Gothic style, or simply Bombay Gothic. The
architects of this style were inspired by native Indian and
middle-eastern Islamic traditions; they combined these with the
Gothic revival and Neo-Classical movements that were
flourishing in Britain during the 19th century. Don’t be
surprised, if during your tours, you come across several
structures with the high arches and ornate carvings like in
cathedrals, only to be topped with domes and minarets like a
Turkish palace! You can linger about and marvel at the statues of Swami
Vivekananda and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.They’re both
icons of Indian history. Swami Vivekananda also sailed from
here on his historic visit at the Chicago Parliament of Religions
in 1893. He ended up introducing the western world to Hindu
spiritual practices and ideals.
Duration: 15 minutes
2
The Taj Mahal Palace hotel comprises two buildings: a tall,
relatively new-looking one to the right, and an older, grander
building to the left. The entrance to The Taj is through the new
building, and I recommend that you stand across the street from
this entrance as I tell you the story of the Hotel.
If you stand in front of the Taj, you will find yourself in the
middle of an interesting panorama of Mumbai life. Behind you
stands the Gateway of India, bustling with tourists. On your
extreme left you are likely to see quaint old carriages, called
Victorias, dressed up in gaudy colours and pulled by rather sad-
looking horses. On your right, the traffic blares away. Every
once in a while you will see a fancy car pull up into the
driveway of the Taj, carrying elegantly dressed guests who
may have come to stay at this iconic hotel or just stopped by
for a bite at the many restaurants here.
Built in 1903, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was, for several
decades, the first sighting for visitors sailing into Apollo
Bunder Harbour. The island city of Bombay has its British
colonial history to thank for most of its heritage structures. But
for Indians it is quite a satisfying thought that the Taj Mahal
Palace Hotel – one of our most iconic, beautiful and luxurious
buildings was built by an Indian. The Taj hotel is exquisitely pretty, built in the same Indo-
Saracenic style as the Gateway. It combines this style with
elements of Byzantine or Medieval Turkish architecture, so if
you look up you will see its domes sitting like fat onions on top
of its high Gothic ceilings. It even has latticework on its
balconies in the Arabic style.
Duration: 5 minutes
3
Before we reach to Leopold cafe we will be visiting Lansdowne Road and Tulloch Road. At Lansdowne Road you will spot some fancy curio shops and the Bowen Memorial Methodist Church. You will come to another lane that
leads to the left, known as Tulloch road. It is down this lane
that we will go, for it contains some of Colaba's hidden
treasures.For decades, this lane has been the centre of Mumbai's
nightlife: A delectable pit stop for the city that never sleeps. No
matter how late you turn up here you will find good food, good
booze and good cheer. First, to your left stands Bade Miya –
the kababwalas who have been feeding the city's hungry
partygoers since 1946. If you happen to come to Bade Miya
during the evening hours when it operates, we recommend you
try the succulent mutton seekh kabab and the bhuna gosht. Or
if you’re a vegetarian, go for a juicy plate of paneer tikka.you will see Gokul on the right.
Gokul has been the provider of cheap drinks to students like me
and young professionals since the 1960s, to your right. At
Gokul you can try their coastal-style fish preparations like
bombil fry and surmai fry with the poison of your choice.
Just a few steps after Gokul you will also find Baghdadi -
another low-priced eatery. As famished students, my friends
and I would raid Baghdadi every Friday night after drinks at
Gokul, gorging on the mutton biryani or the chicken fry or
chicken Afghani. True to the name, the rotis you will get at
Baghdadi are in the middle-eastern style: they're huge, almost
30 inches in diameter, and one is more than enough to fulfill
your cravings.
Imagine that. You have two iconic monuments on one side and
the sumptuous bazaar of Colaba Causeway on the other, and
yet this tiny gulli holds enough of the city's treasures to have a
presence of its own.
For over 50 years, Cafe Leopold has been the confluence, the
meeting point, of all the streams of life and multicultural
experiences that we Mumbaikars are so proud of. Cafe Leopold
is the favourite haunt of foreign tourists and visiting expats,
non-resident Indians, and locals who are looking for world
class restaurant culture combined with the warmth of Indian
hospitality. Have you read 'Shantaram', the best-selling book
about life in Mumbai, by author Gregory David Roberts? In
the book, he describes Cafe Leopold as "a place for people to
see, to be seen and to see themselves in the act of being seen".
This is not so true anymore. But what cannot be denied is that
Leopold itself has been, and continues to be, the place with an
international feel to it. From hippies in the 60s and 70s, to
Arabs and Afghans in the early 80s, then backpackers through
the 80s and 90s and expats ever since then.
And of course, as a peaceful, lively and open-hearted meeting
place of different cultures, Leopold could not escape the
tragedy of the November 2008 terrorist attack. Two terrorists
hurled a grenade and fired bullets into this crowd, causing the
painful loss of many lives. Proud of its strength, Leopold has
preserved the bullet holes on its walls.
Duration: 15 minutes
4
Colaba Causeway
Colaba Causeway is one of Mumbai's busiest and most
colourful streets. It is a noisy carnival, a riot of stalls cramped
together so tight that they appear fused to each other. On any
average day if you come here between 11am and 5pm, the
bazaar is usually teeming with shoppers and you might struggle
to negotiate the next 100 meters or so to our next stop. As you
snake your way through the endless crowd you will find stalls
selling endless varieties of cheap fashion accessories and
souvenirs. If you ever want to find out what's trending among
the young - the college crowd and struggling 20-somethings,
you just have to take a stroll through this market. T-shirts and
scarves, belts and boots, funky pendants and fridge magnets,
it's all here. But the secret pleasure of shopping at Colaba
Causeway lies not in the products themselves - but in the thrill
of Bargaining. If you cruise slowly along the bazaar and
observe the people, you can watch how deals are struck. You
can watch as the high drama of negotiation unfolds about you,
and how youngsters fight like tigers in their prime.
Duration: 5 minutes
5
If you stand outside this
dimly lit cafe, you may hear american pop classics playing on
the jukebox and the humming of conversation. Along with
Leopold, Mondegar is a giant of the old-world restaurant
culture. Started in the 30s, Mondegar was the first
establishment in Mumbai to get a jukebox. Many an avid
customer has paid the small fee and dedicated a song to his
date at dinner! If you plan to go in, you can ask the staff if the
jukebox still works.
There is usually a 5-10 minute waiting time before you land a
table, but once you do, you will want to spend 5-10 hours. The
food is great, the servers are happy to leave you to your
conversation, and the ambience is always genial and charming.
Duration: 5 minutes
6
At the corner you will
arrive at the Regal Cinema house to your right. Once you reach
the entrance to the theatre, do pause to take a look at this
magnificent old institution. It is a throwback to a bygone era,
when going to the movies 'was an art'. Beautifully designed in
the Art Deco style of the time, Regal was inaugurated in
1933...when Mumbai was gathering its reputation as home to
the magical world of films. Plush decor, luxurious seats, velvet
curtains - Regal was a grand tribute to the importance of
cinema in the culture of Mumbai. People would book tickets
well in advance, dress up in their finest clothes and jewellery,
and come to the theatre in Tongas, or horse-drawn carriages.
The theatre was also known for its refreshments, in particular
the ice cream, and this reputation was well-founded. As a child
in the early 90s, I would eagerly await family outings to Regal,
drawn here less by the films and more by the promise of
getting a softie ice cream from one of the few softie dispensers
in the city. Not surprisingly, Regal evokes all kinds of nostalgia
in old Mumbaiwalas. Why don’t you take a look at what's
playing there now?
Duration: 5 minutes
7
Wellington Fountain
The Wellington Fountain is named
after Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington. He was
called the 'Iron Duke' for his victories in important battles. The
Duke of Wellington was just a young colonel when he defeated
Tipu Sultan, the fierce king of Mysore in southern India.
Strangely, despite this and other achievements, Lord
Wellington was not much appreciated back home. Then he
fought Napoleon, and defeated him in the famous battle of
Waterloo, and, well, you know what happens to your record
when you defeat Napoleon, right? He was handsomely
rewarded with accolades and a dukedom, he rose to become
Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, and eventually he
served as the Prime Minister of England for two terms. He
visited Bombay in 1801 and 1804, but this fountain was only
built in 1865 to commemorate his visit. I guess you could call
this an interesting roundabout quite literally – it’s all ‘round
you, and fun to know about!
Now for the statue behind you. This is of one of our former
prime ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Duration: 5 minutes
8
This large, elegant construction used to be The Royal Alfred
Sailor's home. It was designed by F.W. Stevens, the very same
architect who designed the breathtaking Victoria Terminus,
which we will visit on one of our walks. It was completed in
1876. Today, it houses the headquarters of the Maharashtra
Police. Find a convenient place to stand and look up at the facade. At the top, you will see a delicately carved sculpture on a
triangular piece of stone. This is a carving of Neptune, Roman
God of freshwater and the Sea.
Duration: 5 minutes
9
National Gallery of Modern Art
For now
you are off the Colaba Causeway and in the 'fort' area. In doing
so, you have just entered the main Bombay island for the first
time! The causeway was completed over 200 years ago to
connect the island of Colaba to the island of Bombay. Before
that, this ground that you are standing on used to be just ocean
- and people would actually drown trying to cross over!
You have also entered what is known as the art district of
Mumbai. The first art institution in this section is the National
Gallery of Modern Art, or the NGMA for short.
Duration: 5 minutes
10
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
This is the Prince of
Wales Museum, now known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya - renamed after the great maratha
king Shivaji. The museum is one of Mumbai's greatest
treasures, and you cannot leave Mumbai without spending at
least 2 to 3hours admiring its diverse collection.
The architect who designed the Museum was George Wittet,
the very same man who also designed the Gateway of India.
Do you notice the Indo-Saracenic architectural features we
discussed earlier? The Museum covers a built-up area of over
12,000 square metres, and has over 50,000 artefacts in its
collection. The collection falls under three categories: Art,
Archaeology and Natural History - so you see, there's
something for everyone.
Duration: 5 minutes
11
The college is
named after Monstuart Elphinstone, who was Governor of
Bombay province nearly 200 years ago. It was the Honourable
Elphinstone who recognised that the province of Bombay could
be more than just a naval base for the British, that it could be a
city in its own right. The college was established in 1856. It is
here that the Western System of Education took root in
Bombay. Several of its graduates went on to play important
roles in Bombay's and even India's history as they went on to
become religious reformists, political commentators,
businessmen and even freedom fighters.
Duration: 5 minutes
12
Jehangir Art Gallery
Built in 1952, this gallery provided a space for the young artists
of Independent India to unleash their creative genius on the
country. It was commissioned by Sir Cowasji Jehangir, 2nd
Baronet of Bombay, who came from a highly distinguished
family in Bombay's history. The Jehangirs, originally the
Readymoneys, were a wealthy Parsi family who were part of
English colonial royalty. The first patriarch was Sir Cowasji
Jehangir Readymoney. He funded the construction of the
Elphinstone College building that you just saw, and also the
elegant Convocation Hall of the Mumbai University.
Duration: 5 minutes
13
Kala Ghoda Art Precinct
This lofty sculpture of a horse is made in bronze. What do you
think of it? While you gaze at it, let me tell you the ironic story
of the place that you are standing in. This locality, specifically,
is known as ‘Kala Ghoda’, or Black Horse. “Ah,” you might
say, “So this neighbourhood is named after the statue!” I hate
to be the one to break it to you, but in fact the sculpture of a
Black Horse was installed here because the neighbourhood was
originally known as Kala Ghoda! You see, in colonial times,
there used to be a statue of King Edward the VIIth, Prince of
Wales, riding a horse, at this very spot. That’s how the
neighbourhood originally came to be called ‘Kala Ghoda’.
Duration: 5 minutes
14
If you are taking this tour after 11am, you will find the corner
outside Khyber packed with many stalls that form one of
Mumbai's informal and open food courts, selling sandwiches
and sugarcane juice among other snacks. Such stalls are vital
for the working folk who cannot afford the fancy restaurants in
this neighbourhood.
The restaurant Khyber, is named after the famous Khyber pass
which formed the historical land route between Asia and the
Indian Subcontinent. Today, the region is known as the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Khyber is a landmark of
fine dining that serves what they call 'Northwest Frontier
Cuisine'.
Duration: 5 minutes
15
Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue
The Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue was built by the grandson of
David Sassoon. It is maintained with much dedication by the
few remaining Jews in the city. The synagogue was completed
in 1884, and it is beautifully decorated on the inside with
pillars made of Burma teak and large stained glass windows.
The atmosphere inside is old enough and quiet enough to make
you stop to examine your soul. When visiting as young 20-year
old students, we were fascinated by the sombre prayer hall, the
mystic symbols on the windows, and the aged prayer books in
Hebrew.
Duration: 5 minutes
16
Before you reach to oval maidan you will be visiting Watson Hotel. The Watson was a high class hotel built by the 19th century
business man, John Watson. If he was in any way connected
with Sherlock Holmes, that's a mystery we'd love for you to
solve! According to Mumbai blogger Deepa Krishnan, the
Watson was completed in the late 1860's using a design never
seen before in India. The building was made entirely of cast
iron, using only cast iron girders for its framework. The iron
was imported from England, and it was assembled and built on
site, right here. The Watson was a posh, elite establishment
which even had English waitresses serving English patrons. It
was a Whites-only hotel when it was run by the Watson family,
and perhaps this imperialist policy gave rise to the legend that
Sir Jamsetji Tata built the Taj hotel to avenge his insult after he
was denied entry here. Among the famous guests at Watson's
was the well-known American writer, Mark Twain, who wrote
about his fascination for the crows of Bombay in his travelogue
titled 'Following the Equator'.
As you walk, the Oval Maidan and the buildings on the other
side of the Oval Maidan come into view. These are from a
totally different era, made in the Art Deco style which became
popular in the 1930s in Bombay. These buildings were built on
reclaimed land, and they stand now where the sea once rolled
in, all the way into the maidan ahead of you.
Duration: 5 minutes
17
As you come around to the front of the University you can
stand outside the Gate and look in. To the right you will see a statue of Sir Cowasji Jahangir Readymoney the first outside the
entrance to the convocation hall. Behind the statue is a huge
circular stained glass window, behind a frame of smaller circles
like port hole windows.
Duration: 5 minutes
18
High Court Principal Bench Bombay
see, the High Court is a massive structure, larger
than most of the buildings that we have featured in our walk
today. It is approximately 171 metres long and 51 metres wide.
If you stand at the entrance and look up at the two towers in the
foreground, you will see two statues standing at the very top.
The one to your left is Justice - the lady with a blindfold and
weighing scales. To your right is the statue of Mercy, with her
hands folded. So what comprises the story of the High Court? Is it the age?
The architecture?The jurisdiction? Invariably, the story of a
court cannot be complete without a gleeful dissection of its
most sensational case. Would you like to hear the story of the
most confounding, most scandalous, and most significant
criminal trial held in Independent India, within these courts? We will delve into our little bag of legal lore, and tell you
about the infamous Nanavati murder case? It was the first high -profile case in newly independent
India, and that too in the glamourous metropolis of Bombay.
Duration: 5 minutes
19
Rajabai Clock Tower
The tower was funded by a business tycoon of Bombay, named
Premchand Roychand. If you have been to the Museum earlier,
you will be aware that Roychand also has an art gallery in the
museum named after him. Premchand Roychand was a
businessman who made his fortune in the cotton trade that
colonial India was known for. He came to be called India's
'Cotton King', and went on to become a big time speculator in
the early stock market of Bombay. Incidentally, Bombay is
home to the oldest stock market in all of Asia, the BSE, which
is in the close vicinity of our tour. The BSE has had a colourful
history of speculators, but the prince among them was
Roychand. This clock tower was, however, an act of devotion
on his part: he built it for his mother, Rajabai, and it is named
after her. His mother was blind and a devout woman who
wished to take her meals at the hour appointed by the religious
scriptures, and so this clock tower was built to remind her to
take her meals on time! The architect, Sir Scott, modelled the
Rajabai Tower on the famous Big Ben in London, and you can
hear it chiming merrily away in the hustle and bustle of the
city, every 15 minutes. An interesting piece of our history has been carved into the
façade of the Rajabai Clock Tower.
Duration: 5 minutes
20
Flora Fountain
The first thing you must know, is that for well over a century,
this spot, which was known as Flora Fountain, or simply
Fountain, was the very heart of Bombay. The four roads that
meet here form the axis of the original city of Bombay. This is
why you find most of the oldest structures of British Bombay
along these streets.You are also standing at the point that used to be the historic
'Church Gate' from where this area gets its name. The Church
Gate stood where the fountain stands now, and it was one of
the three gates leading into the old Bombay Fort. The gates and
walls of the Fort were ordered for demolition by the then
Governor, Sir Bartle Frere, because he saw that the town within
was bursting at the seams and there was an urgent need to
allow for expansion.
Duration: 5 minutes
21
Hutatma Chowk
In reality,
the Hutatma Chowk is a Memorial. ‘Chowk’ is a local word for
Junction or Square. So Hutatma Chowk means The Martyrs'
Square. This sculpture was built to commemorate a tragedy
that occurred during a political movement that was started in
the 1950s to define the identity of Bombay.
After 1947, when India gained Independence, an attempt was
made to carve out new, independent states in a formerly
dependent colony, and this was done largely on the basis of
language.
Duration: 5 minutes
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Additional info
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
