BANDRA WEST
This upmarket district is where many of the city’s movers and shakers, expats and Bollywood stars live, and is well worth exploring – it’s not far if you are staying or doing business in the Bandra Kurla Complex, and is now easier to access from South Mumbai thanks to the new Bandra-Worli Sea Link bridge, which has reduced driving times considerably.
Most of the rich-list choose to live in leafy Pali Hill, Mumbai’s own Beverly Hills, full of swanky residences with aspirational names such as Belle Vue, Avalon and Capri Heights – others, with monikers such as Marble Arch and Balmoral Hall, point to the colonial past. There is a good branch of Fabindia (fabindia.com) here, a chain of stores in operation since 1960 that specialises in hand-crafted clothing, homeware and accessories sourced from rural artisans all over India. Its colourful scarves make great gifts. Nearby Pali Market stocks colourful fruit and veg – priced higher than the average – while Italian and Japanese eateries reflect the district’s more Western feel.
There are some pleasant promenades along the seafront that are nice for a stroll or a spot of people watching. One, the Bandstand, gained its own Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this year with the unveiling of the “Walk of the Stars”, featuring the handprints and signatures of Bollywood legends. The Kapoors, Bollywood’s “first family”, are well represented. If you see a crowd camped outside the seafront Galaxy Apartments, don’t be surprised – it’s the residence of homegrown heartthrob Salman Khan. Notable shopping hubs in Bandra include Waterfield and Turner roads, where you’ll find a number of glitzy jewellery stores.
CHEMOULD PRESCOTT ROAD
Tucked away on the third floor of a mixed-use colonial building in the Fort district, this contemporary art gallery might not be the easiest to find but is worth making a trip to for its thought-provoking, innovative displays. First founded in 1963 by Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy, and previously housed in the Jehangir Art Gallery, Chemould moved to its new location in 2007 and is now run by their daughter, Shireen, who is particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches to art.
The bright, blank-canvas space provides a good setting for its temporary exhibitions – when I visited, Chemould was showcasing the work of local artist Shakuntala Kulkarni. Her “Of Bodies, Armour and Cages” project – consisting of elaborate cane structures, part costume, part armour, alongside photographs of the artist wearing her creations in Mumbai locations she perceives as being under threat (such as Juhu Beach) expresses the vulnerability of women and of the city.
Other recent exhibitions include new works by Bengaluru artist Pushpamala N. Check the website for what’s coming up.
- Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. Third floor, Queens Mansion, G Talwatkar Marg,?Fort; gallerychemould.com
MANI BHAVAN GANDHI SANGRAHALAYA
Number 19 Laburnum Grove, an unassuming two-storey house in the Gandevi district, has an illustrious history – between 1917 and 1934 it served as Mahatma Gandhi’s Bombay headquarters, and is where he stayed and conducted his campaign for Indian freedom whenever he was in the city.
The house was converted into a memorial museum in 1955 and offers a fascinating insight into Gandhi’s life and principles. His sparse living room has been preserved, complete with wooden writing desk and sandals, and you can also see the terrace where he slept and prayed, and was arrested in 1932.
An exhibition depicts key moments in his life through a number of intricately crafted tableaux, while a gallery displays photographs, documents and letters. One, to Hitler in July 1939, demonstrates his unwavering belief in the power of non-violent protest: “Dear friend… It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to the savage state. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be? Will you listen to the appeal of one who has deliberately shunned the method of war not without considerable success?”
Devotees will enjoy leafing through the tomes in the library, which has more than 50,000 books by and about the Great Soul.
- Open daily 9.30am-6pm; gandhi-manibhavan.org
CHOR BAZAAR
Otherwise known as the “Thieves Market” (chor means thief in Hindi), it’s said this huge flea-cum-antiques market was once known as “shor bazaar” (noisy market) but apparently got its new moniker because of the English pronunciation – though some say the tendency some of the merchants once had for selling stolen goods may have had something to do with it.
Centred on Mutton Street and its surrounding lanes, there are in the region of 150 shops – with such names as Unique Collection, Little Stuff and Object of Desire – selling all sorts of weird and wonderful paraphernalia. If you’re after anything from clocks, cabinets and car parts to statues, vases and trumpets, you’re in the right place – if not, the spectacle in itself is worth it. Pop into Poster Stuff at 113 Mutton Street for vintage Bollywood prints. Remember to haggle. The shops are open from about 11am to 7pm, though many shut on Fridays, this being a Muslim area – there is an outdoor market open on this day. On the other side of Sardar Vallabhai Patel Road is a vegetable market (sabzi mandi) selling pungent, luscious-looking produce.
GOOD EARTH/BUNGALOW EIGHT
These two stores are located in Colaba and are great spots to pick up high-end goods. The first, around the corner from the Taj Mahal Palace and Indigo restaurant (see panel above), stocks an array of handcrafted products that “celebrate the culture and history of a rich and diverse land” – from bright cushions and quilts to clothing made with natural fabrics and fine china and tableware (pack it carefully if you want to bring some home with you). There’s also cute kidswear and toys, jewellery, candles and skincare products. Good Earth also has stores in Juhu and Lower Parel.
Housed in a 19th-century building a few blocks away, Bungalow Eight describes itself as “Mumbai’s first concept store” and has a vast selection of bohemian, Indian-inspired homeware, clothing and accessories. You’ll discover everything from vintage furniture and sculptures to fine silk dresses and bejewelled headbands. Prices can be on the steep side.
- Good Earth: open daily 11am-8pm; 2 Reay House, Colaba; goodearth.in Bungalow Eight: open daily 10.30am-7.30pm; Grants Building, 17 Arthur Bunder Road, near Radio Club, Colaba; bungaloweight.com
If you are in South Mumbai, make sure you stop by this excellent eatery (pictured left) housed in a colonial bungalow on a lane behind the Taj Mahal hotel. Founded by Rahul and Malini Akerkar, it serves up well prepared and presented “eclectic European-Asian” using seasonal produce. Delicious dishes I tried included juicy grilled king prawns with aubergine salsa, and tandoor roasted chicken with shiraz glaze, potato hash and Cajun spiced okra. New additions to the menu include Atlantic scallops with confit lamb, and pressed watermelon with chilli vodka and whipped feta. The Four Seasons Viognier wine from Baramati, Maharashtra, is worth trying. The décor is smart and earthy, and the atmosphere relaxed.
- Open daily 12pm-3pm, 7pm-11.45pm, bar 6.30pm-1.30am. 4 Mandlik Road, Colaba; tel +91 22 6636 8981; foodindigo.com
JYRAN
The signature restaurant of the recently opened Sofitel Mumbai BKC – as the name suggests, located in the new business district, the Bandra Kurla Complex – Jyran (pictured below left) makes for a delightful evening, offering fine-dining tandoor cuisine in a sultry, lively setting. Master chef Shaukat Ali Qureshi has drawn on his many years of experience to create a menu of succulent dishes, such as nahari al subho (“chef’s secret recipe of curry with lamb shanks, cooked with exotic spices”) and murgh ke sooley (marinated chicken breast stuffed with dry fruits, cooked in a clay oven). Check out the huge recycled elephant sculpture outside, a reference to the restaurant’s name. The hotel also has an excellent vegetarian Indian eatery called Tuskers. See businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested for a hotel review.
- Open daily 7pm-12am. C-57, Bandra Kurla Complex; tel +91 2261 175 000; sofitel.com
VEDA
Located in the Palladium mall in Lower Parel – home to international brands and a Manchester United store, should you feel homesick – Veda serves tasty pan-Indian cuisine. Once you’re inside, you will certainly forget you’re in a shopping centre thanks to its decadent, dimly-lit interior, the work of fashion designer Rohit Bal. Dishes such as gilafi seekh (minced lamb skewers), ajwaini prawns (marinated in citric blend and carom seeds) and Veda black dahl are rich in flavour. There are also Veda branches in Delhi and Kolkata.
- Open daily 12pm-12am. 5-8 Palladium, Phoenix Mill, Compound 462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel; tel +91 22 4332 6666; vedarestaurants.com
