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| Home > City Guide - Mumbai (Bombay) - Further Distractions | ||
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Further Distractions Afghan Church Located at Colaba, the southernmost part of Mumbai, the Afghan Church was built to commemorate the officers and men who died in the Afghan and Sind campaigns of 1838-43. The church, finished by 1858, is an essay in early Victorian Gothic revival and, unlike many of the buildings that sprang up in the city in later years, it has no trace of a local accent – it is a little piece of England in India. The church is in urgent need of restoration. St John’s Church, Colaba Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk; the verger who lives next to the church will open the door if it is locked. Admission: Free; donations welcome. Dhobi Ghat (Washing Place) Dhobi Ghat could not be further removed in spirit from the manicured lawns of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, although it is only a few hundred yards away. This is where much of Mumbai’s laundry is done – by hand in concrete sinks and dried by the sun – as it has been for generations. A dhobiwallah is someone who does the laundry. Dr E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi Opening hours: Dawn to dusk. Admission: Free. Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach Built in the 1920s and 30s, on land reclaimed from the sea, Marine Drive is Mumbai’s most famous thoroughfare. Lined with crumbling Art Deco buildings, it runs down Back Bay from Malabar Hill to Nariman Point and offers far-reaching views of the western side of the city. In the evening, it is a popular promenade, frequently providing strollers with spectacular sunsets over the sea. At the top end of Marine Drive is Chowpatty Beach. The only beach in the central part of Mumbai, it is a popular and lively place to spend an afternoon. Malabar Hill to Nariman Point Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Maidans Running up the western side of the Fort area, the Maidans are a long strip of palm-fringed green in the middle of Mumbai. Before the land under Marine Drive was reclaimed they formed the seaside esplanade of Bombay. Nowadays, they serve as the lungs of the city, where Mumbaikers can stroll, play cricket and football or simply laze in the shade. From the Oval Maidan there is a fine view of the Gothic mass of the Law Courts and, towering high above the fringe of palm trees, the University Library Clocktower. Fort area, Marine Drive Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Malabar Hill and the Hanging Gardens Jutting out into the sea from the north end of Marine Drive, Malabar Hill offers splendid views of Mumbai and has a character of its own. Leafier and greener than the city centre, it repays exploration. The hill used to be one of the most desirable residential areas of Mumbai and, to this day, the state governor’s official residence is at the end of the point. On the top of the hill are the Hanging Gardens, laid out in the formal style. Marine Drive Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. |
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