HEADLINES TO WATCH IN OCTOBER 2026 / A Luxury Guide To Mesmerising Mumbai: India’s Wealthy West-Coast Metropolis / By Rebecca Underwood

Mumbai, the wealthiest of India’s cities, offers an intriguing insight into a rich, vibrant culture and a colourful history, and I was eager to explore.

Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai was once an archipelago of seven islands, essentially fishing colonies governed by successive native empires, prior to being ceded to the Portuguese in 1535. The Jesuits and Franciscans built several churches in the city along with fortifications including the Bandra Fort, the Bombay Castle and the Madh Fort.

Bombay’s natural harbour and its isolated position resulted in the English vying for control and, with the emergence of the Dutch Empire, the English soon established an outpost in western India.

In 1661, Charles II married Catherine of Braganza, the daughter of Portugal’s King John IV, and the archipelago of islands formed part of her dowry, which was handed to the English.

In 1668 the Royal Charter leased the islands to the East India Company for an annual fee of £10. The islands came under successive attacks from native forces followed by the Governor of Dutch India and in 1687 the East India Company relocated its headquarters from Surat in Gujarat to Bombay.

In 1737, the Portuguese presence ended and Bombay quickly developed into a major centre for trade attracting migrants from afar. The English eventually gained control through a number of treaties following the first Anglo Maratha War.

The Bombay High Court is one of the oldest in India

In 1792, William Hornby, Governor of Bombay, was responsible for a major project to build a causeway which united the seven islands with a deep natural harbour. By 1838 the project was complete, the Worli creek was blocked and flooding of low-lying areas was prevented. Bombay was transformed into a significant seaport and the city’s economic development flourished.

In 1853, India’s first passenger railway line was established and, due to the outbreak of the American Civil War, Bombay became the world’s leading cotton trader. Four years later the Suez Canal opened, Bombay prospered greatly and in 1876 Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India.

I was very keen to know more about this fascinating city and I was instantly delighted by the gentle nature of the local people, known as Mumbaikars. The welcome I received when I checked into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was exceptional.

The property, located in the city’s Colaba area, consists of the old Palace Wing, dating back to 1903 and reflecting the impressive Indo-Saracenic architectural style, and the modern, adjoining Tower Wing, built in the 1970s.

After an efficient and swift check-in procedure, I was escorted to my accommodation and my luggage was whisked away in a jiffy. I opted to stay in the plush Gateway to India Suite, which is beautifully furnished and ultra-comfortable and offers a private balcony with panoramic views of Colaba Bay, the Arabian Sea and, of course, the Gateway to India.

The suite, which measures 121 square metres, is adorned with exquisite period features, a glittering chandelier and a large bed swathed with crisp, white linens, ensuring a deep and restful slumber.

The Gateway to India Suite is one of the luxury accommodations at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

Up with the larks and after a long rejuvenating shower in the spacious Italian marble bathroom, I headed for the excellent buffet breakfast, presented in the Sea Lounge. Planning my activities, whilst sipping on a delicious chilled fresh orange juice, I decided to take the short stroll along to the Gateway of India, which is one of Mumbai’s most striking monuments.

Designed by George Wittet and located on the waterfront in the Apollo Bunder area, it was completed in 1924 and commemorates King George V and Queen Mary’s 1911 visit to Bombay. The yellow basalt arch reflects the Indo-Gothic style and stands 85 feet high. It was the first structure to come into sight for passengers arriving at Mumbai by sea.

In 1947 India achieved independence and the last British troops marched through the Gateway, signalling the end of the British Raj. Today, the Gateway of India is the city’s most popular tourist attraction.

Once a ceremonial entrance to India for visiting dignitaries, tourists today are keen to pass by the arch in the footsteps of royalty and to announce their arrival to bemused locals. I am not ashamed to say that I did just that.

Another popular attraction, which opened in 1923 to commemorate King George V’s visit to India, is the magnificent Prince of Wales Museum, also designed by George Wittet.

The museum’s 60,000 exhibits include a wide variety of Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, collections of porcelain, intricately carved jewellery boxes, glittering coins, delicate snuff bottles, silk and brocade textiles in striking colours, an assortment of carpets, miniature paintings and exceptional examples of decorative art.

The Gateway of India is the city’s most popular tourist attraction

To view another popular site, I hopped on the ferry from the Gateway of India and visited Elephanta Island, the site of the Elephanta Caves: a fascinating network of five Hindu and two Buddhist caves.

The Hindu section features magnificent rock cut stone sculptures which date back to the fifth century and represents the Shiva sect. The Great Cave was once a Hindu place of worship and presents carvings of Shiva reaching more than sixteen feet in height. In 1987 the caves were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Victoria Terminus railway station, now renamed Chhatrapti Shivaji, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This fabulous building in the Bori Bunda area was designed by Frederick William Stevens and reflects Victorian Gothic architecture and the style of the traditional Mughal. Built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, it is absolutely breath-taking and the fact that three million commuters jostle for space on the overcrowded trains every day provides an insight into life in the city.

For those of us with a taste for adventure, the best mode of transport is the auto rickshaw, a small three-wheeled vehicle surprisingly effective at negotiating the smallest vacant space in a long line of traffic.

It’s a hair-raising, bone shaking experience and it’s exhilarating to be whisked along in the very heart of the action.

In 1987, Elephanta Caves were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

My next stop was on the flyover bridge at Mahalaxmi railway station where I was rewarded with a spectacular view of the Dhobi Ghat. Said to be the world’s largest open air laundry, it is the place where the laundry men, ‘Dhobis’, work furiously side by side washing enormous mounds of laundry for Mumbai’s hospitals, hotels, local homes and businesses.

The Dhobis stand in a concrete pen, filled with water, alongside a flogging stone, and the slaps of the linens and clothes are clearly audible as they are washed by hand. Established in 1890 and owned by the municipal council, the Dhobis pay rental for the pen space and families have been living and working there for generations.

In 2011 the Dhobi Ghat was featured in the Guinness Book of Records when it was noted that 496 Dhobis were washing clothes simultaneously in one location.

For those seeking a bargain whilst in Mumbai and willing to part with more than a few Indian rupees, head for the High Street Phoenix Mall, considered to be one of the biggest in Asia. International brands include Hugo Boss, Chanel, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo and Thomas Pink.

For a wide range of linen garments and glittering gifts, Fab India (where I filled my shopping bags) and the Bombay Store are not to be missed.

Laden with bargains a feeling a trifle parched I headed for the Harbour Bar at my hotel. I sank into a luxurious, plump sofa and ordered a chilled glass of house white and reflected on my adventures in Mumbai. I raised my glass in honour of the city, where I was often mesmerised.

Factbox

Getting there – Flights from Heathrow to Mumbai take approximately nine hours.