The Gateway of India is an arched monument on the waterfront in Mumbai It was designed to commemorate the visit of British King George V to India in 1911. It is also the place from which the last British troops left India in 1948 at the time of independence. It has therefore become significant as a symbol of independence.
Our excursion took us to visit this place on our way to a boat ride on April 30 (Day 107). This was a Sunday and the whole area surrounding this arch was a mass of people. I had tried to prepare myself for this experience, but still was surprised. I don’t have any pictures of all of these people and I’m guessing that’s because I was clutching my bag close and trying to keep up with our tour guide. You will just have to imagine this part of the trip, or go there yourself. If you really can not picture it, try one of the many pictures you see in the news. They are pretty accurate.
To the left of the arch in the picture above is the Taj Mahal Hotel. The Taj Mahal hotel was one of the sites attacked by terrorists from Pakistan. This terrorist attack lasted for four days in Mumbai in 2008 and hit many locations in the city. 300 hostages were taken at the Taj Mahal hotel, many of whom were eventually rescued, but not immediately. The historic wing of the hotel was destroyed by fire and has now been rebuilt. Over all the sites attacked, 175 people died in these attacks and 300 were wounded.
In hearing the story from our guide, I was reminded of some of the feeling of attack and vulnerability we experienced after 9/11. The legacy felt long-lasting and is part of the ongoing anger many Indians feel toward their Pakistan neighbors. It also by the legacy of extreme emphasis on security measures we experienced in entering the country.
The security and screening to enter all the ports in India was the most on our trip so far. The visa and documents were all approved way ahead of time. Some of our fellow passengers could not get visas and left the ship to do something else while we were in Indian water. Just to get off the ship and out of the port, you needed to have all these papers examined at least three times. Not only was there electronic screening of all your belongings coming in and out, but individual wand-based body search each time. This made for long lines as women needed to go into a separate line for this screening While men could be “wanded” in public, women had to go into a curtained place and wait for the only one of the guards who was female.
The Taj Mahal lobby was also challenging to enter. After a bit of wrangling, our guide got us in for a quick walk around. The Hotel lobby has been rebuilt now and is modern and serene.
Mumbai was fascinating and hot and I’m very glad I went there. So much spiritual history, colonial history and the idea that history is being made now came across. I have the sense that a much longer visit is needed.
My take away from Mumbai so far is that is is a place of contrasts. When the ship first arrived, I went outside and looked down at the pier. This is the scene that greeted our ship:
And, at the same time, walking in the hot crowded city, one can turn the corner and find just a little gem, such as this one:
Interesting
Terrific. Thank you. I hope you learned a lot of the Mumbai/Bombay history. Originally, was it not seven individual islands? Maybe before the Brits got there.
Your pictures are amazing; certainly worth a thousand words. I’m glad to read about the historical significance of Mumbai. Thanks for sharing.