Bombay (Mumbai) the capital of Maharashtra, the Early Bombay. The name Bombay is a Portuguese corruption of 'Mumba' or Mumbai a manifestai tion of the Hindu goddess Parvati, Parvati consort, Lord Shiva, is worshipped at Elephanta Island in the bay. Mumba devi's temple third dedicated to the patroness of the kdi people (koilis, a fishing caste). The first was erected o
1 a site near victoria termins, and demolished during the Muslim invasions Sultan Mubarak of Gujaral about 1320 A.D. Rebuilt on the same site, it fell victim to the restructuring of old. Bombay in 1737 A.D. Bombay as we see Ili today is a Peninsula overlying a grolip of seven Islands connected by reds, mation from the sea; parell-sion, Mahim, Worli, Mumbadevi, Mazagaon, Thrtinyt old woman's Island and colaba. Four centuries ago it was occupied by native kolis and a Portuguese factory or trading post. f
Bombay was presented by the portuguese to British king Charles 11J in 1661 •A.D. It was then group of seven Islands now joined together to thik main land by cause ways. It became a very important sea port on opening o the suez canal in 1889 A.D. In the ancient times many different kings ruled+ this city. Some people 'Ambabai' was the name of the 'koli' (Fishermen) God• dess.
Silahara Hindu Rulers erected atmper complex to honour walkesha war on Mumba Devi Island near Malabar point in the mid 11th century, we know of no permanent settlement until the Hindu king Bhima Deva founded a town on Mahim Island as a refuge from Muslims in Gujarat, who raided and finally took control of the Islands in 1401 A.D,. from their capital in Ahmadabad.
The portuguese won control of the area in 1509 A.D. and dominate.' the Indian ocean until challenged by the Dutch and British in the 17th Cen tury. In 1613 A.D the Mughal Emperor Jahangir permitted the British to trad from their factory in Surat. By a dowry arrangement, Bombay was granted t. the British in 1661 A.D. When Catherine of Braganca when she married kin. Charles 11 of England. In 1668 A.D. King Charles 11 leased Bombay to th British East India company whose president Gerald Aungier Began the pro cess of land reclamation to connect the Islands of Bombay, fortifying the are Gerald Aungier can be called the Real founder of modern Bombay. Buildin. docks and a mint, providing a company militia which later became the India army, and attracting a range of Muslim and Hindu settlers from the less saf surrounding country side.
Bombay today is vital alive and in more ways than one, apart of th main land. India's city of trade and commerce, it is peopled by cosmopoliten Bombay, like, the Rest of India, never turns her back on th¬past. Bombay was a cluster of seven Islands. The word Mumbai, however, is derived from Mumba Devi, the patron godess of the Mumba Devi is still wor hipped and the kolis will start to fish in the water of the Arabian sea. ,,inbay is biggest commercial city in the world. The atmosphere is uniquely ,,Hlian situated on the Western coast of India. Bombay is India's financial hub. ,11(1 an active port where ships from all over the world will dock. People from ,i1 over India will come to live here, some make fortunes in trade as I,,,)rribay handles over 60 percent of India's foreign export and some to work
factories as Bombay's Industries produce a variety of goods, from tradi¬,nal textiles to petrochemicals. The Bombay stock exchange is the barometer -1 India's financial weather.
Worship in Bombay is a theme that you could never fully explore, for it the sprawling exuberance of dozens of Hindu temples for 65% of H.,rnbay's population, the Buddhish surine at worli, the main Jain temple over Hoking back Bay near the Bhobi Ghats, two large parsifire temples in the iumble of lanes beyond craw ford market, the mosques serving 16% of Hornbay population, the synagogues near Jacob circle, in Byculla and liosset Eliahu in the fort area; the twenty five or so catholic churches's such ,•• the Holy name cathedral in Colaba and our Lady of Mount in Badra, and Lich protestant out poste of the cathedral church of St.Thomas.
The Kilis, a fishing caste settled on these Islands about two thousand ,ars ago. Koli woman who comes to take the day's catch of the fish to mar-r 1 and gay with the colours of their saris. Like those of other Maharashtrian ,Jornen, The koli saries are distinctive Nine yards long, draped without pins IA seems around sinuous bodies, and with one end tucked between the I, (is. These saris are every bit as practical as cullottes and are set of with a ',light Choli (Bodice). If you want to see Rural Kolis today take the train to ,\Ildheri, one of their main villages is at Versova, 26 kms. North of Central Hornbay beyond Juhu Beach.
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