Mumbai, India

Mumbai, also called Bombay is located on Salsette Island in the Arabian Sea and is a city in Western India. It has about 13 million people and is the largest city in South Asia. Mumbai was once an archipelago inhabited by fishermen and Buddhist monks. After that, the islands were owned by the Portuguese, who ceded them to the English King Charles II as a dowry for his fiancée, Caterina de Braganza.
In 1668, the English leased the archipelago to the English East India Company. From then on, the development of the city took place at a very rapid pace. All seven marshy islands became the colonial city of Bombay. In 1995 the city changes its name to Mumbai.
Mumbai is the largest port in Western India. It is the financial center of India, home to the central bank, the largest stock exchanges and many of India's major companies.
The first landmark that a tourist should see in Mumbai is the Gate of India - this is a monument by the sea in the Indian-Arabic style. The other symbol of Mumbai is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, built in 1903. The incredibly beautiful Gothic building, more like a cathedral, is the Victoria railway station. Of interest is St. Thomas Cathedral, which is the oldest building built by the British in Mumbai. The building that housed Mahatma Gandhi's headquarters is called Mani Bhavan. The rooms here have been preserved in their former appearance.
The most beautiful and pleasant place to relax in Mumbai is the Malamar Hill, where the so-called Hanging Gardens of Mumbai are located. They were built in 1880. The trees and bushes shaped like different animals - elephants, giraffes, rhinos, bears and others are something extremely interesting.
The Kamala Nehru Park, located opposite the Hanging Gardens, is a favorite place not only for parents, but also for children. A shoe-shaped fairy house has been built here. Outside, children can climb on the shoelaces, which are shaped like a ladder, and inside you can drink a glass of juice or coffee. It is interesting to know that the biggest center of the film industry in the world - Bollywood, is located in Mumbai.
Although a third of Mumbai's residents live on the streets or in the slums, many people arrive here believing that their dreams will come true.