All posts by : boundlessexplorism.com

Mumbai is a bustling, exciting city of some 20 million people. It is India’s financial capital and the centre of India’s thriving entertainment industry known as ‘Bollywood’. Mumbai once was a group of 7 islands that were reclaimed in a civil project called Hornby Vellard and now forms a peninsula with a spectacular bridge over the sea linking South Mumbai with its famous suburb of Bandra. Every corner of every street of this lively city is fascinating and creating a list of must-see attractions is a tall order! Nevertheless, no matter how long or short your stay in Mumbai is, these are sites not to be missed: 

1. Gateway of India

The Gateway of India is an arch-monument built in the early twentieth century by the British to commemorate the visit of the royal couple King George and Queen Mary. At the time of the royal visit the monument had not been constructed, so instead a replica of cardboard was used to greet the Monarch. 

The first stone was laid by the Governor of Bombay on March 31st, 1913. It is constructed in Indo-Saracenic architectural style and designed by George Wittet. It opened to the public in 1924 and the 26-meter tall arch became the symbol of the British Raj in India. On 28th Feb 1948, the last British troops, the Somerset Light Infantry, departed from here under the guard of honour of the newly formed Indian army.

Today, The Gateway of India serves as the landmark and an iconic site of Mumbai.  It is not only international tourists who visit – it is also on the agenda of the many thousands of Indian tourists who visit Mumbai each year. From the Gateway of India, you can also take a ferry to the Elephanta caves situated on a small island. 

2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (former Victoria Terminus)

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is one of the biggest train stations in India. Built-in 1888, the station is a monument to Gothic architecture. It was designed by British architectural engineer Frederick Willam Stevens and was named Victoria Terminus. Before designing the station Frederick William spent ten months in Europe researching Gothic architecture, eventually drawing inspiration from Saint Pancras station in London. 

In 1995 the station was renamed from Victoria Terminus to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in honour of the emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji who was the founder of the Maratha empire. On 2nd July 2004, it was declared as a World Heritage site by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. Every day more than 3.5 million people commute from this station. There are 18 platforms in this station and if you have watched the Oscar-nominated film Slumdog Millionaire you will see that the last song “Jai ho” was filmed on one of the platforms in the station.

At the time of the construction, a marble statue of Queen Victoria was installed below the clock on the main building. But, after independence, most of the statues of the British figures were removed from the government buildings and public properties. A lot of the statues were shifted to Victoria Garden situated in south Mumbai but Queen Victoria’s statue from the station wasn’t one of them. Some say it has been exported out of India and some say it must be sold by the Government and some historians say it must have been destroyed. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was one of the affected places of the terrorist attack on 26th November 2008. A group of 10 terrorists attacked some of the prominent buildings in Mumbai. Bullets from AK-56 rifles have damaged some of the parts of the heritage station.

3. Dhobi Ghat

Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat has become a very important tourist destination. It is famous as the biggest open-air laundry in the world. It is said that they wash approximately 200,000 clothes each day! The clothes are from small hotels, hospitals, Spas, garment manufacturing units and also local laundry shops. People working here are migrants from north India, working for their bosses who rent washing cubicles from the government. Dhobi Ghat was built in the latter half of the 19th century by the British to wash the dirty linens of the soldiers. In 2011 it was registered in the Guinness book of world record under the “most people hand-washing clothes at a single location”. 

The entire washing service takes 24 hours. Dirty clothes arrive from various places, they are then segregated and coded to keep track of where they come from and where they need to be delivered again after washing. The clothes are then soaked in soapy water and flogged on stone. The clothes are then dried in the sun and ironed before sending them back to their final destination. It is free to watch Dhobi Ghat from a viewing point above the laundry, but if you want to visit inside Dhobi Ghat it is best to hire a tour service or a guide who will take you on a proper tour.

4. Dharavi Tour

For outsiders, Dharavi is one of the biggest slums in the world, but in reality, it is a city within a city. The population of Dharavi is approximately 1 million. The inhabitants are as same as anyone else in the city because 45 per cent of the Mumbai population lives in a slum. The origin of slums in Mumbai dates back 200 years when people first began to come to the city for work. With no adequate housing, large areas were utilised for building shanty houses which we now call slums. 

Dharavi has now developed into a commercial slum in which there are around 10,000 small scale businesses contributing in the region of $665 million to $1 billion. Businesses such as manufacturing leather, textile, plastic recycling, food making and pottery industries have developed in Dharavi creating its reputation as an “entrepreneurial slum”. As well as businesses, Dharavi is extremely diverse with and home to people of 6 religions and 30 languages. The morning in Dharavi starts with the first call for prayer in the Mosque and ends the day with the harmonious sound of a bell ringing in the temple. To experience the life and spirit of the people in Dharavi, you really need to come with us on our Dharavi slum tour. 

5. Rajabai Clock Tower

Rajabai Tower is a world heritage site situated on the premises of Mumbai University. It is modelled on Big Ben in London and constructed in Venetian and Gothic style architecture. It is 280ft tall, which is equivalent to a 25 storey building. During the construction, a portion of the total cost of construction was donated by Premchand Roychand, a prosperous broker who founded the Bombay Stock Exchange, on the condition that the tower was named after his mother “Rajabai”. Premchand Roychand’s mother was blind and as a staunch follower of Jain religion, she had her evening meal before sunset. Legend says that the evening bell of the tower helped her to grasp the time without anyone’s help.

6. Crawford Market

Built-in 1896, Crawford market is the oldest market in Mumbai. It was named after the first Municipal Commissioner of the city, Auther Crawford. As well as being the oldest market in Mumbai, it has another claim to fame. Crawford Market was the first place in India to use electric lighting. 

In 1995, like Victoria Terminus train station, even this market’s name changed to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai. The market has different sections such as fruits, vegetables, spice shops and butchers’ houses. The market is beautifully designed in colonial architecture and has beautiful fountains designed by Lockwood Kipling. The market is open all day, but to get the best experience visit in the morning. 

Opposite Crawford Market, you will find Mangaldas Market, which is the oldest textile market in Mumbai. You can comfortably walk through this market even if you are not purchasing anything, but it is a fun market to try out your bargaining skills!

7. Mani Bhavan

Mani Bhavan is a historical building where Mahatma Gandhi stayed in Mumbai between 1917 and 1934. The house belonged to Gandhi’s friend and it was from this property that Gandhi led the civil disobedience movement and Satyagraha. This was the same building from where Mahatma Gandhi was arrested by the British in 1932. After Gandhi’s death, the house was converted into a museum. The first two floors have a library with 40,000 books about Mahatma Gandhi, a photo gallery and newspaper cuttings about Gandhi’s life. The upper floor houses  Gandhi’s personal room which has been preserved as he left it. There is also a storytelling walk told through miniatures. 

Mani Bhavan is a walkable distance from Charni road train station on the western line. Within easy reach of Mani Bhavan,  the Babulnath temple, ISKCON temple and Girgaum Chowpatty (Beach) are all worth a visit.

8. BanGanga Tank

BanGanga Tank is one of the most interesting and offbeat sites in Mumbai. It is an ancient holy water tank with an underground freshwater spring. It is believed that the water spring was created by the arrow Lord Rama fired when he and his army were thirsty on the journey to rescue his wife from the demon king, Ravana. This ancient tank was built in the 12th century by the Hindu Silhara dynasty but the spring water source has existed for thousands of years. It is considered a Holy tank and the water has healing powers. 

9. Hanging Garden

One of the most fantastic places in Mumbai is called Kamala Nehru park, which is famously known as the Hanging Gardens. This park was built in 1952 under the initiative of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. He built this park with the purpose of showing his love of children and paying homage to his beloved wife by naming it in her honour. The park makes the old nursery rhyme come true with a massive shoe for kids to play with!

One of the best parts of the park is the stunning gallery view over the city.

      10. Haji Ali Mosque 

Haji Ali mosque is a most interesting religious site in Mumbai. Many people call it a floating mosque because when the tides are high covering the path to the mosque, it looks like it is floating. It was built in 1431 by the devotees of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. A well-known story of Pir Haji Ali tells of his encounter with a woman crying outside his house. She told him she was crying because she had accidentally spilt the oil she was carrying and her husband would thrash her as he was a very cruel man. Haji Ali felt very sad for her and decided to help her. He pressed his finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled up the vessel and went home. Later, Pir Haji Ali had a recurring and disturbing dream that he had injured Earth by his act.

Pir Haji Ali advised his followers that when he died his body should not be buried, but instead should be kept in the casket and sent out to sea. He wished to be buried at the point the casket stopped. The casket miraculously stuck into the rocks and that is why his followers buried him there and built a tomb.

11) Jain Temple

Jainism is one of the smallest religions in India with approximately 4.5 million followers. Jainism is an offshoot of Hinduism which promotes vegetarianism and non-violence. This religion also restricts eating root fruits and vegetables because an individual has to kill the entire plant to eat them. the most thing that creates Jainism unique is it’s an atheist religion that believes in 24 Thirthankars who were the Holy wise people of Jainism. But if you visit the temple, you may find that culturally it’s very like Hinduism. A Jain temple is generally built with white marbles and stone carvings. The architecture and peace inside the temple are beautiful, although not everyone seems to be permitted to enter the temple.

Below are the foundations to follow.

• One mustn’t take any footwear (including socks) inside the temple. Leather items sort of a belt, purse etc. doesn’t seem to be allowed inside the temple premises.
• One mustn’t be chewing any edibles (food, gum, mints, etc.), and no edibles should be stuck within the mouth.
• Non-Jain people cannot enter the praying area of the temple. you’re only allowed within the premises.
• Before entering the temple, one should bathe and wear freshly washed clothes or some special puja (worship) clothes – while wearing these one must neither have eaten anything nor visited the washroom. However, drinkable is permitted. ( this rule is for Jain those that come for prayers, but it’s good to follow their rules).

12) Elephanta caves

A Unesco World Heritage Site that dates back to 600 AD, Elephanta Caves are a must-see destination if you’re fascinated by archaeology. The Elephanta caves are a set of cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The caves are made from rock-cut stone sculptures. the most temple and therefore the orientation of the cave are in a very Mandala pattern. it absolutely was named ‘Elefante’ by the colonial Portuguese as they found Elephant statues within the caves. The monument was restored in 1970 and was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987.

13) Chor Bazar

This is a famous thieves market of Mumbai which is locally called Chor Bazar. There are many stories about this market and that i can share with you one among the foremost interesting ones. they assert once Empress visited Mumbai and he or she found that her precious violin went missing from her luggage. after they had a radical search, it had been found here during this market and since then it’s called thieves market. But, after all, Empress never visited India. Whoever invented this story, must have done so to entertain people.

The reality is, this market wont to be simply called Shor Bazar which implies a loud market. But, land mispronounced the word Shor as Chor which changed the meaning completely. you’ll be able to have a pleasant go into this market on Mutton Street where the foremost antique shops are. you’ll find lots of old restored items which are definitely worth looking up.

14) Bombay Panjrapole

Bombay Panjrapole is the biggest cow shelter in Mumbai. it had been established in 1934 with the aim of the welfare and nurture of the cow. The cow has been considered a holy animal in India since precedent days because of its ability to contribute most to human lives and occupations. People in India worship cows and thank her for all the great things received from them. this can be not a tourist destination, but a neighbourhood place where people come here to feed the cows and find blessings from her.

15) Dabbawala

The most efficient organisation on Earth are the Dabbawallas. Simply, it’s an organisation that gives the service of memorizing people’s home-cooked lunch boxes from their homes and delivering them to their workspace to serve fresh warm food. Dabbawalas have mastered supply chain management so well that they deliver approximately 200,000 lunch boxes every day with zero technology and with no sophisticated logistics management systems.

In 1998, Forbes Global magazine gave a six sigma efficiency rating because their error ratio was 1 in every 16 million deliveries with an accuracy of 99.999 per cent. Many management schools visit Dabbawalas to review their operations and the university made a case study about them. Their operations became a famous attraction in Mumbai not only for tourists but also for several famous personalities like Prince Charles, Richard Branson and Dutch Queen Maxima. you’ll be able to spot them opposite Churchgate railway station between 11.30 – 12.00 pm.

India is a beautiful country with enormous history and culture. People in India are really welcoming with some great smiles on their faces and values rooted deep, as we believe in manifesting our tourism slogan “Atithi Devo Bhava” which translates as “the guest is God”.

We help travellers to find their perfect boundless vacation with the pride and satisfaction of contributing towards a noble cause of empowering women in India.

You will experience an insightful understanding of the city’s rich history, culture, and lifestyle led by our friendly English-speaking female tour guide (who also is the brand ambassador of our organisation). 

To know more about us or our tours & experiences in Mumbai, kindly send us an enquiry.

Mumbai is indeed a great place to explore. The heritage, the culture, the local cuisines, and the amazing people – all of these would give you a unique and mesmerizing experience. However, if you are interested in archeology, what would get you more thrilled are the things that surround Mumbai. What I meant to say is that even the outskirts of Mumbai have a lot to offer, referring to the ancient caves. And even if you’re not an archeo-lover, you can always choose to visit them to find a little bit of bliss amongst the chaos. 

This blog aims to give you a deep insight into the top 5 ancient caves around Mumbai and everything about visiting them. So, let’s begin!

1. Ajanta Caves

        The Ajanta Caves consist of approximately 30 rock-cut caves dating from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE in the Aurangabad district of the Indian state, Maharashtra. It is known to be one of the finest examples of surviving ancient Indian art and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The Ajanta caves comprise ancient monasteries and Buddhist worship halls carved into a 75-meter wall of rock. The caves are situated in the rocky northern wall of the U-shaped gorge of river Waghur, in the Deccan Plateau. You can even hear many waterfalls from outside the caves when the river is high. 

The Ajanta Caves are 350 km east-northeast of Mumbai. You can take the train from Mumbai to Kalyan Jn, switch for Jalgaon Jn, and then take the taxi to Ajanta caves. Alternatively, you can board an overnight bus from Mumbai to Jalgaon and take a taxi further to reach the caves. It would take 3-4 hours to explore the entire Caves. The entry ticket price for the Ajanta caves is INR 40 for Indians and tourists from all the SAARC and BIMSTEC countries. Otherwise, it would be INR 600 for foreigners. No entry fee would be charged for children below the age of 15 years. The opening hours are 9 am – 5 pm and the caves remain closed on Mondays. The winter months from November to March would be the best time to visit the site. 

2. Ellora Caves 

The Ellora caves are one of the largest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in the world dating back to the 600 – 1000 CE period, located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. There are over 100 caves at the site all excavated from the basalt cliffs, out of which only 34 are open to the public. It comprises 12 Buddhist (caves 1-12), 17 Hindu (caves 13-29), and 5 Jain (caves 30-34) caves. They are closely built to one another which indicates the religious harmony in ancient India. The Kailasa temple (cave 16) features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world, a chariot-shaped monument dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

The Ellora caves fall 300 miles east-northeast of Mumbai. The best way to reach Ellora would be to board an overnight bus or train from Mumbai to Aurangabad, and then board a Taxi or a sharing jeep. It would take 4-5 hours to explore the caves. The caves remain closed on Tuesdays and the best time to visit Ellora caves is November to March. The entry ticket price for the Ajanta caves is INR 40 for Indians and tourists from all the SAARC and BIMSTEC countries. Otherwise, it would be INR 600 for foreigners. No entry fee would be charged for children below the age of 15 years. 

3. Elephanta Caves 

The Elephanta Caves, also known as the Gharapuri island are a collection of cave temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, located 10 Km east of Mumbai. The caves consist of five Hindu caves, a few Buddhist caves, and Stupa mounds dating to the 2nd century BCE. The carvings narrate the Hindu Mythology including the 20 ft large monolithic Trimurti Sadashiva (three-faced Shiva), Nataraja (Lord of Dance), and Yogishvara (Lord of Yoga). 

The need to take a ferry from the Gateway of India to reach the Elephanta Caves which charges around 150 INR for a two-way trip. It’s about an hour-long journey before you get there. It would take approximately 2 hours to explore the entire caves. The winter months from November to February are best suited to visit the site. Try avoiding the peak monsoon months as reaching there would be a problem. The site can be experienced best when visited during the morning hours. The opening timings are 9 am to 5 pm and remain closed on Mondays. The ticket price is INR 40 for Indians and INR 600 for foreign tourists. No entry fee would be charged for children below 15 years of age. 

4. Kanheri Caves

The Kanheri Caves are a group of Buddhist rock-cut monuments in the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, on the former island of Salsette in the western outskirts of Mumbai, India. It comprises 109 caves that contain Buddhist sculptures and relief carvings, paintings, and inscriptions dating back to the 1st century CE. This place can give you much-needed solace. 

The Kanheri caves are around 26 km to the north of Mumbai. You can take a cab from Mumbai and it would be an hour-long journey to reach there. It would roughly take 2-3 hours to explore all the caves open for the public. The best time to visit the caves is from September to March. The opening timing is 5:30 am and closing timings are 6:30 pm for the caves and 7:30 pm for the park. The caves remain closed on Mondays. The entry fee is INR 15 for Indians and INR 200 for foreign tourists. 

5. Karla Caves

The Karla Caves, also known as the Karli Caves are a group of ancient Buddhist rock-cut caves located in Karli near Lonavala, Maharashtra. The oldest caves are believed to date back to 160BCE giving rise to a major ancient trade route, running eastward from the Arabian Sea into the Deccan. The most admired is the Grand Chaitya(cave 8) which is the “largest and the most completely preserved” Chaitya Hall of the period containing unusual quantities of fine scriptures. 

The Karla caves are just 10.9 km from Lonavala, 59 km from Pune, and 107km from Mumbai. You can board a train from Mumbai to the larger Lonavala Railway station and further reach the destination by the local auto-rickshaw. You can explore the Karla caves thoroughly within 2 hours. The ticket price per head is INR 20 and INR 200 for foreign tourists. The opening hours for the caves are between 9 am – 5 pm. The caves remain open for tourists on all days of the week. 

Hope you got all the required details for visiting your favorite site. Feel free to drop us a mail at mumbai@boundlessexplorism.com or send us a quick WhatsApp text. 

“She turned off her laptop, closed her eyes as she bent her head down on the table. It was 5 in the evening and Alex had worked hard all day to finish her targets. It had been a busy day. Still, she didn’t feel exhausted. And why not! She was finally going on a solo trip to India she had planned for so long. She quickly got up and got ready for the flight at midnight. Her excitement was at its peak, like never before. She had planned to explore Mumbai and relieve herself from the daily work stress.  But, as she got there it turned out to be quite different from her expectations. It was a fast-paced city and although it was great to explore, she was not able to find the solace that she had imagined. Her guide took her on some of the most visited sites, which were always a dream but as she dug deeper, there was an entire range of experiences that were not chosen by many. Rural India or we can say the heart of Indian heritage and culture was what attracted her. That’s when she decided to change her plans and go on a boundless exploration.”

Yes! Something even more interesting than those monuments and heritage sites exists. Going through these unique experiences is even more fulfilling and these are 5 main reasons why I’m saying so…

1. You can spend time in nature

We all know that we’ve started living a materialistic life in the city. Occupied in our jobs and work, we don’t often realize that living just doesn’t mean “to be able to breathe”. The soul needs to be embraced too. As most of the developed countries have been commercialized, very few destinations are left to explore. For that purpose, you would love to relax in the arms of nature, free from all the pollution and chaos of the city. Meanwhile, you can embrace the beauty of the place and learn about its roots and the life of people.

2. It can heal you 

Most of us think that travel can be a great remedy to stress and other mental health issues. But the way we choose our destinations also matters. In that case, exploring rural India and indulging in various experiential activities would be a delight to the soul. It would not only heal you but also give you the perfect break that you longed for.

3. It’s light on your pocket

This point simply can’t be ignored! We all want to save a few bucks on our trip. Money is mostly spent on the hotels and food around the main city areas, which can be easily cut down if you choose to go on an exploration of rural India. So now you not only have a fulfilling experience with you but also get to save a little bit of extra money.

4. It makes you experience the real India 

India is known worldwide owing to its rich culture and heritage. Wouldn’t it be interesting if you got to experience the real India, raw and unadulterated? Until now, you might have known the Indian customs just through books and videos but a rural exploration would give you an unforgettable experience. That would be far more interesting than to just listen to our history and culture from a tour guide. Check out our Cooking with family experience which would help you understand how cooking is done in Indian families.

5. It gives you some unique hands-on experience

Rural India will not only give you a raw experience but also give you a “Hands-on” Experience. Yes! Now you can not only meet and talk to people but also try your hands on those Indian ways of doing things. You can do everything from trying Indian traditional outfits, Pottery, garland making, cooking, be a farmer for a day and much more!  I bet nothing can be more satisfying than going on an experiential tour in India. You can check out the experiential bundle, and pottery workshop to know more about how we can accompany you on your experiential tour!

Hope you found the above reasons amazing enough to explore rural India at least once. I’m sure you’re going to love it. If you want us to become your partner for the same, click here.

India, a country widely known for its rich culture has also gained recognition owing to its unique customs. It’s almost impossible for you to not come across the various interesting customs while exploring India. Each of these customs have been formed thousands of years ago with specific reasons behind them, maybe spiritual, mythological, or scientific. Exploring the reasons behind these customs is yet another interesting thing to explore. Here are some of the most commonly seen customs in India along with their backstories.

1. Joining of hands while greeting with “Namaste”

Namaste is a welcoming or parting gesture, where we bow to the person with respect.

Namaste involves the joining of hands and bending the head forward. While we all know that it’s a gesture used to show respect, you might have wondered why do we particularly join our hands?

The joining of hands symmetrically signifies the meeting of two souls, and that we see the other person as an equal leaving behind all our ego. Another scientific reason is that the tips of fingers are the pressure points for the eyes, ears, and mind. Joining all the fingers together puts pressure on these points and it helps us remember the person for a longer time.

 2. Exchange money only with the right hand 

In India, most people exchange money with their right hands. Try noticing shopkeepers while they exchange money.

This is because money is believed to be a form of blessings of Goddess Lakshmi and in this way it has a spiritual connection. The right hand is supposed to be used for all the holy and “clean” activities. The left hand is generally supposed to be used for “unclean” activities such as wearing shoes or wiping up in the washroom. Hence, it is a custom to exchange money only with the right hand and the same applies to all other activities like eating, passing on food, exchanging stuff, or touching the elder’s feet.

3.Eating with the hand 

You might be familiar with this one.

It may sound unsophisticated or difficult but in India, it’s a part of our culture. Using the fingers while eating has a scientific reason behind it. The ancient ayurvedic principles state that by using your fingers you’re not only feeding your body but also your mind and spirit. It also says that our bodies are in sync with nature and the intake of food with our hands makes it a completely natural process. This has several health benefits like improved digestion and maximum nutrient absorption. So in case you’re planning a trip to India, you might give it a try! 

4. The array of knots tied on a temple’s fence or premises

Indian temples are full of customs and every other thing has a deep connection with spirituality and mythology. One such commonly observed custom in temples is the tying of knots on the fence, boundary, or within its premises. People make their wishes to God and tie these knots as it is believed that they will reach the almighty and hopefully be fulfilled. It’s just a spiritual belief and there’s no scientific reason behind it. 

5. The “Tilaka” applied on the forehead 

You might have seen or experienced that the temple priests (pandits)  have “Tilaka” (commonly called “Tika”) applied on their forehead right between the eyebrows which looks like a round-shaped dot. 

This spot on the forehead is the major nerve point known as Adnya Chakra which retains energy and concentration. While applying, this point gets pressed which leads to better retention of energy and concentration levels. It also has the ability to cool down a person’s mind. 

6. Lemon and chillies hanged on shop’s and house’s entrances

This custom has been followed since a very long time, rather as a “DIY” mosquito and insect repellant when there used to be no insecticides.. Lemon and chilli being rich in Vitamin C, when pierced with a cotton thread releases a fluid(acid from the lemon) that spreads all around the place. This helped to repel the insects as houses used to be made up of mud and stones. Even chilli acts as a germ killer when hung along with a lemon at the door.

7. Put up a black dot on the baby’s forehead

Indian’s believe in the eye of “Alakshmi” or the evil eye responsible for bringing bad luck and misery. If a baby or a child falls mysteriously sick or accidents happen one after the other, it is said to be struck by the evil eye. It is believed that babies are more prone to it as they are beautiful. So, the idea is to make them look a bit ugly by applying “Kajal ” (a homemade black paste) shaped like a big dot. By doing so, babies and small children are supposed to be safe from the evil eye.

You all must have been unlucky at least once in their life that we cannot forget. Some must have affected you with huge monetary losses and some must have left you in shock with the extraordinary skills of the swindler/ con artist. A scammer approaches you with dishonest schemes or fraud promises and attracts your willingness to get a good deal out of it. Most of the time their products will be relevant to the future victim.  A swindler/ con artist has achieved mastery on what they’ve been doing for years and this has sharpened their skills which allow them to deliver the action with zero error or without being spotted suspicious. 

Scams are happening in every industry and the scamster’s are always looking for some inexperienced individuals who can easily be trapped. In tourist regions, travellers are the easiest prey as a traveller lacks the local knowledge in terms of service and its price.  In order to challenge their desires, it is very important to keep ourselves well-read and well educated about whatever we wish to perceive ahead. In this blog, I wish to uncover some of the very intelligent and hardly known scams on foreign tourists in India.

1. Sympathy on infants scam

You are often advised not to give money to children begging or people showcasing their infants to get some sympathy, instead buy them food if you want to help them. But this one which I want to reveal is the next level cashless scam that they smartly execute. You will often find women carrying an infant on their waist begging against sympathy. If you find the infant is sleeping or not active or hardly conscious, there are big possibilities that the kid is not of her own and she must be sharing the kid with her begging partner against some kind of compensation.

Here comes the next level thing, if they find that you are not willing to give money but happy to buy some food for her (sometimes they will even refuse to accept cash directly and humbly pray to you to just buy milk for her baby). This so-called kind act by a beggar will trigger your emotions and you will try to picture the scammer’s status to a genuine person. Next, she will take you to the nearby store/shop which is part of all this fraud. She will point out a large pack of baby food which would be costing you much more than the actual price. You will find yourself stuck for the sake of the humanitarian and not paying will make you feel guilty or cheap, so you may end up paying for the product. The final part of the scammer is to encash the product by returning the product later and receive the money-back after the commission deduction by the shopkeeper for playing his role in the act.

How to avoid getting scammed: You need to be observing the person wisely and walk away if you find anything suspicious. If you still feel like buying something for the baby make sure you buy the company packed product that has the printed MRP (maximum retailing price) on it. Further, before handing over the product to them you can unpack it a bit so that they cannot return it back to the shopkeeper.

2. Car parking outside a carpet or silk store

There will be many occasions in your travelling when you have to hire a cab service or a driver for sightseeing. Often they try to attempt to end the ride with commission-based shopping. The common shopping items they may take you to are Pashmina & Silk shop, Spices such as saffron and Indian curry powder shop etc. They can always give you innovative reasons such as it is my friend’s shop/uncles shop. The next thing which I am going to tell you mostly happens near the famous monuments neighbourhood. The driver may politely request to you say that last time when he brought tourist to this monument was heavily fined by the cops for parking at a wrong place and it is very difficult to find a parking place around here, he himself comes with a solution that he can use the shops parking space for some time and request you to pretend as a customer to that shop. He may further advise, you do not have to buy anything but just hang around inside the shop for 5-10 minutes and come back to the car. At this point, you may feel the driver is genuinely honest. But the bitter truth is, after entering the shop you may have to face very strong salesmanship trying to sell you at least something. They might also be very direct to you saying you have to buy something as you already used our parking for a long time visiting the monument.

How to avoid getting scammed: In the first place you should not accept any such requests from your driver. In another case, if you willingly went to a shop or asked your driver to take you to a shop. You can always give a reason as all their products are really very good and want to bring your friend along to the shop to buy as you are running late for today’s schedule.

3. Tourist information centre scams

There are a lot of fake government-approved information centres in India especially in north India where they attract tourists by offering free wifi and ticketing to go anywhere in India. They may also try to sell you a so-called all-inclusive tour package to realise some hidden cost once you have already paid. They even sell you a service as small as a 5-hour city tour in an air-conditioned car only to discover later that they simply hired a cab to take you on a ride to the famous attractions of the city. It is a scam because you were expecting a professionally guided tour and not just a ride to the attractions.

How to avoid getting scammed: You always can check the authenticity of any organisation on Tripadvisor and other such websites. Secondly, you always need to have read the terms & conditions, inclusive & exclusive and taxes etc.

4. Cabs and Rickshaw drivers attempting hotel scam

This is very common in north India that some cab and rickshaw drivers will try to sell you a hotel/hostel on a ride from the train station or airport. Everybody has some unique false stories sharing some haunted or illicit stories about your hotel/hostel. They will further add that it is really an unethical place with very high charges, there are lots of better and reasonable places available around which they can drop you.

How to avoid getting scammed: Do not entertain them with such stories as you have booked your hotel/hostel after some kind of research.

5. Gift(Do not accept anything which comes free).

There are lots of instances when first you will be given something for free and later ask for a donation.

• Women offer free flower garland or bracelets to welcome you and later may ask you for some money. This may also lead you to the first scam where she may ask you to buy some baby food if she has a baby on her waist.
• The so-called sadhu (holy men) around the temple may tie a holy thread on your wrist and give you the blessing against some money.

6. The Broken Taxi Meter. Mumbai Taxis.

This one is a common scam in India, and entails the following scenarios:

The taxi/auto driver would say that the taxi meter is broken and ask for an inflated flat fare, The taxi/auto will not have a meter, The meter will run super-fast, as sometimes drivers do set the meter at a higher tariff Or, they will clearly refuse to turn on the meter.

All these scenarios may lead to paying over the odds. Not only have the inexperienced tourists,  sometimes even the locals have fallen prey to this scam.

So if you opt for a taxi in India, be sure to use a metered taxi (it is against the law to operate a taxi in India without a meter). If the taxi driver says that the meter is broken, but he will take you wherever you want at a low fare, just don’t buy it – it’s a trick to squeeze more money out of you. And, if you’ve no option left, then negotiate the fare first and make sure the fare covers the luggage and all passengers, not just a single person.

7. Airport/Hotel transfers.

When you land at the airport you have to book a local cab to reach your hotel if you have not pre-arranged it with your hotel. A vice way is to book a prepaid cab through the airport authorities. Although the prepaid ride rates will have a small cut for the airport authority it would result in a safer move as the airport department will have all the details of the cab driver if there is any mishappening or if you miss any of your belongings in the cab.   

8. Currency Exchange.

This is something every traveller needs to go through. Converting foreign currency into local can be hectic sometimes particularly in countries like India which has a major cash economy. Never exchange your currency at an unofficial place or through some locals. There is a possibility that someone may take advantage and trick you with lesser or fake money. Do educate yourself to recognise various bills and their legitimacy. 

All the above-mentioned scams are listed just to educate you and not to scare you. India is a beautiful country with enormous history and culture. People in India are really welcoming with some great smiles on their faces and values rooted deep, as we believe in manifesting our tourism slogan “Atithi Devo Bhava” which translates as “the guest is God”.

We help traveller’s to find their perfect boundless vacation with the pride and satisfaction of contributing towards a noble cause of empowering women in India.

You will experience an insightful understanding of the city’s rich history, culture, and lifestyle led by our friendly English-speaking female tour guide (who also is the brand ambassador of our organisation). 

To know more about us or our tours & experiences in Mumbai, kindly send us an enquiry.

Our previous blogs have given you a list of must-see palaces and forts and essential things to do in India, but this time instead of sightseeing (although, of course, the streets of Mumbai are full of wonderful unexpected sights) we are going to focus on another aspect of Indian culture: street food. At Boundless Explorism, we offer a street food tour of Mumbai and no trip to this bustling, energetic city is complete without these favourite culinary icons of Mumbai life. 

Vada Pav

Vada Pav is one of the most famous and popular of Mumbai street foods. It consists of a deep-fried potato patty, accompanied with spicy and sweet chutneys, chillies and garlic, served in a soft bread roll (pav). A popular origin theory is that it was created in Mumbai’s mill district by Ashok Vaidya who opened the first vada pav stall outside Dadar station in 1966 as a cheap, fast meal for the mill workers. There are now over 20,000 stalls in Mumbai selling this tasty, spicy snack. 

Sev Puri

Sev Puri is one of many delicious chaats you can find in Mumbai’s vibrant street food scene. Chaat is a type of savoury snack typically served as an hors d’oeuvre or as street food. Chaats typically use variants of fried dough, diced boiled potatoes, chickpeas, tangy sweet and sour chutneys, coriander and yoghurt. There are hundreds of varieties across India. Sev Puri uses flat fried bread discs (puri) topped with potato, onion, chickpeas, pomegranate, cumin, usually mint and tamarind chutney, and sometimes mango and dahi, and of course, sev. Sev is made of small pieces of vermicelli noodles seasoned with spices and deep-fried. It is a popular and tasty topping for chaats and in sev puri makes a great crunchy contrast with the runny chutneys and dahi. 

Pani Puri

One of the most common and popular street foods is Pani Puri. It consists of round, hallow deep-fried crispbread (puri) filled with potato, onion, chickpeas, chilli powder and tamarind chutney. Flavoured water (pani) is poured into the hollow of the puri. The snack should be eaten in one mouthful creating an explosion of sweet and spicy flavours in the mouth. Beautiful! 

Dabeli

This snack originated in Kutch in Gujarat, but travelled beyond the area with migrant workers and is now a popular street food in Mumbai. Dabeli (meaning ‘pressed’) is another favourite to use pav. It is a gorgeous mixture of sweet and savoury flavours combining boiled potatoes, a special dabeli masala (coriander seeds, cumin seeds, star anise, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon), drizzled with tamarind and chilli chutneys and garnished with roasted peanuts, sev and pomegranate all served in pav.

Pav Bhaji

Pav is a beloved component of much street food and eats with this thick vegetable curry and lots of butter, it is truly a match made in heaven! This is another street food that began as a fast, cheap lunch for the city’s textile workers, but has now become a staple at many restaurants. The curry usually includes potatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, chillies, tomatoes and peas all cooked on a large griddle. It is served with pav and lots of butter.  One of the nicest settings to try pav bhaji is sunset at Chowpatty Beach.  Grab a blanket and watch the sun go down whilst trying a hot, rich, buttery pav bhaji. Absolute bliss! 

Bhel Puri

Another wonderful chaat is bhel puri. Similar to sev puri, bhel puri is a tasty combination of tangy and sweet flavours, mixing potatoes, onions, chaat masala, coriander, mint and often tomatoes and chilli with chutneys and in one variation, yoghurt. Bhelpuri is then added to this vegetable and chutney base. Bhelpuri is a mixture of puffed rice and sev. Mumbai food stalls will often sell this from a paper cone and it’s one to be eaten quickly before the rice becomes soggy. But, when it’s a snack as tasty as bhel puri, finishing it quickly won’t be a problem! 

Masala Dosa

A dosa is a thin pancake made from a batter of lentils and rice ground together into a fine grain. It originated in South India but has become a popular cuisine all over the country. The masala dosa is a variation on the dosa made with a stuffing of boiled potatoes, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, coriander, lemon juice and coconut. It is served with an accompaniment of chutneys and sambar (a lentil-based stew). 

Onion Pakodas

Onion pakodas are light and crunchy delicious snacks. Onions are deep-fried in a batter made of gram flour, herbs and spices such as curry leaves, turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and carrom. Chopped onion pieces are covered in the batter and then deep-fried until they are golden and crispy. They are both sweet from the onion and spicy. Perfect for a teatime treat! 

Bombay Sandwich

This sandwich is a combination of unlikely ingredients which come together to make such a perfect snack, it has to be tasted to be believed. It is so tasty! Between three buttered white slices of bread are slices of beetroot, boiled potatoes, cucumbers, onions and a green, mint chutney. There is also a toasted version and some include cheese. 

Jalebi

For those with a sweet tooth, or simply for those wanting a sweet treat to counteract all those spicy snacks, Mumbai street food vendors offer plenty of options, and amongst one of the sweetest is jalebi. To make jalebi a maida flour batter is deep-fried in a spiral shape and then soaked in syrup. Some variations use additional flavours such as rosewater. They can be served hot or cold, but it’s best to eat them fresh out of the hot oil when the syrup coating is hot and sticky and the centre is a perfect combination of crisp outside and chewy centre. Be warned – these are extremely sweet, but also extremely delicious!  

Kulfi

There are few things better to cool off in the Mumbai heat than kulfi. Kulfi is a frozen, dairy dessert made by slowly cooking sweetened milk until it condenses and thickens. It is then poured into small clay pots (kulhars), sealed and frozen. It now comes in many different flavours but be sure to try the more traditional flavours as well such as cream, rose, mango, cardamom or saffron. 

Masala Chai

Trying Mumbai street food is thirsty work and there isn’t a better accompaniment than masala chai. There are thousands of chai sellers (chaiwallahs) across Mumbai and you will see queues of workers lining up at stalls during their tea breaks. It is made by boiling black tea with a mixture of spices (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, nutmeg, pepper, honey, vanilla) and milk. Try it with the added natural sweet flavour of jaggery for a true Mumbai masala chai. 

Mumbai is a culinary dream and the city’s street food scene is seriously not to be missed. Many of the vendors have been operating for decades and are as integral to city life as the many tourist sites. With thousands of options, it can be quite overwhelming for the visitor and it is best to navigate the maze of different neighbourhoods, train stations and beachside vendors with a local. Boundless Explorism offer a street food tour that will take you to the city’s best spots!