Archives: Trips
Description.
#ParsiBazar: Walk 909
The Fort of Bombay was once divided into a European quarter in the south and a native quarter in the north. The native quarter was where the wealthy Indian merchants resided in various community enclaves. At the northern end of the Fort was the Bora Bazar, the enclave where the Bohri Muslims resided, and towards the center of the Fort, the Parsi Bazar which had the residences of the wealthiest of Parsi families whose legacy we see even to this day. Join Team Khaki as we take a journey through the Fort’s ‘posh’ native quarter to discover the remnants of this bustling enclave and what it has transformed into today.
#ChemburChurcha: Walk 908
In the 1920s, Bombay’s town planners developed a series of ‘ garden suburbs’ meant to offer an idyllic lifestyle within commuting distance from the city. Prime among them was Chembur, whose only ironic claim to good connectivity was as a stop on the railway line originally meant to ferry Bombay&rsquo’s garbage to its outskirts. Here, a catholic welfare society settled, thrived, and gave the neighborhood a distinct look and feel that just about barely survives to this day as redevelopment takes place all around. Join us on a walking tour to uncover the stories of the Chembur garden suburb, a world away from its ‘ gas chamber’ reputation.
#ParsiPolis
In the 7th or 8th century CE, a group of Zoroastrian refugees from Persia fleeing religious persecution after the Arab invasion landed on the shores of Gujarat in India. Over centuries, they assimilated into the local culture while preserving their religion, and came into their own with the arrival of the colonial powers to India in the 16th and 17th centuries. They began to move to Mumbai to trade with the British in the late 17th century, and since then, Mumbai has been the city of the Parsis and by the Parsis. Many of the community have contributed to building the city what it is, be it in business, arts, sports, science or philanthropy. On our #ParsiPolis tour, learn about the history of the Parsi community in Mumbai, its unique culture and its contributions to the city.
#Escape2Elephanta
Got half a day? Escape with us on a ferry to Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you will come face to face with a fifth-century shrine of Lord Shiva, the Hindu God, that has been carved out of a hill. These rock-cut cave temples have a collection of halls, shrines, cells, courtyards and a hall with exquisite symmetry.
#MumbaiHarbour
The city of Mumbai owes its origins to its excellent deep-sea harbour. Hear the stories of the city’s evolution through trade and commerce made possible by the harbour on this boat tour along Mumbai’s eastern seaboard and get a unique perspective to the city.
#MohallaMunch
Mumbai’s traditional culinary heritage is best served in its noisy maze-like lanes. Join us on a culture-filled experience in the Bohri Mohalla area to sample Mumbai’s Muslim cuisine across its various communities. We sample food at 12-15 stalls and help you discover unique stories and flavours, some not available elsewhere in the world. This tour is a treat for meat-lovers.
#IraniChai
The Parisian cafe had an equivalent in early 20th Mumbai – the Irani cafe manned by doughty Zoroastrian immigrants from Persia who came to the city for a better life in the mid-19th century. Once upon a time, almost every street-corner in the city had one. A century later, these institutions are dying out with only a handful left. Experience the old-world charm of these cafes with a sampling of their staple fare and stories of the city’s Zoroastrian immigrants in what was once their quarter in the city.
#ChowpattyChat
What better way to experience the city’s vibrant street-food culture than eating along the iconic Chowpatty beach?! Join us to discover flavours you haven’t tasted before, as we sample food from the restaurants and stalls that line the stretch, from ‘Paani Puri’, the spicy water-bombs that burst in your mouth, to butter-overladen ‘Pav Bhaji’, a Mumbai invention. #ChowpattyChat is an ideal vegetarian food tour of Mumbai and an excellent way to immerse oneself into Mumbai’s culture.
#FortByVictoria
Each carriage can seat a maximum of 4 guests in one carriage.
Admire the colonial heritage of Mumbai’s Fort precinct in a heritage vehicle. A new electric version of the city’s classic Victoria carriages takes you and your family and friends around Fort with our Ambassadors of Mumbai divulging the secrets the area holds. Hop in for a great view of the city’s monuments and for fascinating stories from the city’s history.
#WonderWomen: Walk
Feminism may sound like a new-age idea in India today, but the movement emerged in Mumbai in the 19th century, even if in a small way. The catalyst for Indian feminism was the precinct of Gamdevi. Its location at the edge of the Native Town in close proximity to the new European area of Malabar Hill brought about a confluence of Indian and Western thought. In the 19th-century and early-20th-century, pioneering women from this part of town broke the shackles and barriers imposed by a patriarchal society to forge their own paths in diverse fields – medicine, art, education, philosophy, politics, music, theatre, business and social service – enabling the women of Mumbai of today to enjoy the freedoms they do. Hear their inspiring stories on our #WonderWomen walk.