Posts in category: Blog

Introduction:

Mumbai, a city that never sleeps, is a captivating blend of tradition and modernity. Amidst its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers lies an emblem of timeless tradition – the Dhobi Ghat. This open-air laundromat is a sight to behold, where rows of washing pens and tireless dhobis (washermen) create an awe-inspiring spectacle. In this blog, we’ll delve into the history of Dhobi Ghat, how to reach this iconic destination, and some invaluable tips to enhance your experience.

Dhobi Ghat History:

With roots tracing back to the late 19th century, Dhobi Ghat has witnessed Mumbai’s evolution. Established during the British colonial era, this ghat became a hub for washermen who painstakingly cleaned clothes from all corners of the city. The sight of hundreds of concrete wash pens, each brimming with scrubbing, rinsing, and drying activities, is a testament to Mumbai’s enduring spirit and the dhobis’ unwavering dedication.

How to Reach:

Dhobi Ghat is nestled in the heart of Mumbai, making it easily accessible from various parts of the city. If you’re traveling by train, alight at Mahalaxmi Station on the Western Railway line. From there, it’s a short walk to the ghat. Alternatively, taxis and buses are readily available options. For those with a penchant for adventure, consider taking a leisurely stroll from nearby attractions like Haji Ali Dargah.

Tips:

Timing is Key: The best time to visit Dhobi Ghat is early in the morning when the dhobis are most active. Witness the choreographed symphony of washing and drying as the sun rises.

Respect Privacy: While Dhobi Ghat is a captivating spectacle, remember that it’s a place of work for the dhobis. Avoid intruding into their personal spaces and maintain a respectful distance.

Photography Etiquette: Capture the mesmerizing scenes, but always seek permission before taking close-up shots of individuals. Some may be camera-shy or value their privacy.

Engage with Locals: Strike up conversations with the dhobis if they seem receptive. Their stories and insights provide a deeper understanding of their way of life and the changing dynamics of Mumbai.

Mind Your Step: The ghat can get wet and slippery due to the constant washing. Wear appropriate footwear and tread carefully.

Take a Tour: You can book a guided tour with an English-speaking tour guide for a detailed walk inside and also avoid any complications from the locals.

In conclusion, a visit to Mumbai’s Dhobi Ghat offers a unique opportunity to witness a traditional practice that has stood the test of time. As you watch the dhobis meticulously scrubbing away, you’ll be reminded of the city’s vibrancy and the people who contribute to its essence. By following our guide on how to reach and the essential tips provided, you’re all set for an enriching experience that will stay with you long after you’ve left the ghat.

When visiting Mumbai, a city known for its bustling energy and vibrant culture, it’s easy to overlook the stories that lie beyond the glamorous facades. One such story is that of Dharavi, often referred to as one of the largest slums in Asia. But Dharavi is more than just a slum; it’s a testament to human resilience, creativity, and community spirit. Embarking on a 2.5-hour educational walk in Dharavi can be an eye-opening and enriching experience, offering a unique glimpse into a world that thrives amidst challenges. Here are five unmissable activities to consider during your Dharavi Slum Tour:

1. Guided Walk through Residential Areas:

Embark on a guided walk through the narrow alleys and winding streets of Dharavi’s residential areas. As you stroll through these vibrant lanes, you’ll witness the close-knit community that exists within the slum. From children playing cricket to families sharing meals outside their homes, you’ll see that despite the challenging living conditions, Dharavi is a place where life is lived with vibrancy and camaraderie.

2. Small-Scale Industries and Workshops:

One of the most remarkable aspects of Dharavi is its thriving small-scale industries. During the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to visit local workshops where craftsmen engage in activities like pottery-making, leather production, and recycling. Witnessing the resourcefulness and skill that goes into these operations is both humbling and inspiring. You might even get a chance to try your hand at some of these crafts under the guidance of local artisans.

3. Recycling and Sustainability Initiatives:

Dharavi is a hub for recycling and waste management. Witnessing the innovative recycling processes in action is a highlight of the tour. Learn how the community is actively contributing to sustainability by reusing and repurposing materials that might otherwise end up in landfills. This experience might prompt you to reevaluate your own approach to waste and consumption.

4. Art and Creativity in Dharavi:

Contrary to what one might expect, creativity thrives in Dharavi. Many talented individuals within the community engage in activities like pottery, painting, and even Bollywood dance classes. Some Dharavi tours include visits to local art studios and centers, allowing you to interact with budding artists and perhaps even purchase unique pieces of art as souvenirs. This artistic aspect of Dharavi showcases the beauty that can emerge from unlikely places.

5. Community Initiatives and Social Impact:

Beyond the challenges, Dharavi is home to several community-driven initiatives and organizations that strive to improve the lives of its residents. Some tours provide insights into these initiatives, shedding light on the efforts to enhance education, healthcare, and overall well-being within the community. Witnessing the resilience and determination of the individuals behind these initiatives is a reminder that positive change is possible even in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, a Dharavi Slum Tour offers much more than a mere glimpse into the lives of its residents; it provides a profound perspective on the strength of the human spirit. The tour is designed to be educational and respectful, aiming to break down stereotypes and promote understanding. It invites you to engage with a community that thrives against the odds, displaying ingenuity, resourcefulness, and unwavering unity. As you embark on the 2.5-hour journey through the heart of Dharavi, you’ll leave with not only a new outlook on life but also a deeper appreciation for the shared humanity that connects us all.

India is a country rich in culture, tradition, and heritage. It provides travellers with unique and mixed experiences which might not be suited to everybody. If you’re planning a trip to India you need to have the ability to stay cautious and aware of the things going on around you. Although Indians believe in “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guest is God), exceptions always exist!

In the mainstream cities like Delhi and Mumbai, people are habitual of seeing tourists and dealing with them. Still, many a time you might face some uncomfortable situations or experiences. Staying pre-immune to those things might help you not face a few of them. 

This article is about everything that you need to do before travelling to India. 

Mindset

Mindset is the first thing you need to work on before coming to India. You might be well aware of the crime rate against women but it’s only one side of the story. The media has put on massive light on those happenings and it’s in no way a fault. But there’s a difference between fear and being aware and that’s what you need to understand. Knowing all those facts you need to put them aside and travel to India with a clear mind. You won’t be able to enjoy and explore if you travel with fear inside you. Most tourists have a great time in India and feel Indians are some of the kindest human beings they ever met. So, it’s mostly how you think about it. Remember, you just need to be aware and feel confident along with taking all the basic necessary precautions.  

Clothing

Although most of the people in urban areas are okay with female tourists wearing short clothes, many of them like stall owners, rickshaw drivers are still not used to it may be because they have a traditional mindset. So, it is preferred that you do not choose short or revealing clothes for sightseeing as they may attract unwanted attention and make you feel uncomfortable. 

Another reason for not wearing them is the temperature! India is a tropical country and it is mostly hot and sunny here, especially if you’re visiting during summers. 

However, you can freely wear your shorts around the mainstream city areas like Colaba or the Cannaught place. 

Body language

This is something that might play a major role in the kind of experience you have while your trip to India. Many times your actions might seem to be inviting unwanted attention or openness towards certain things. So try not to be over-friendly with people as they are not used to it and might consider it as an open invitation. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is to avoid strangers knowing about where you’re staying. While shopping, try not to show that you don’t know much about the place and prices. You need not be rude but you definitely need to be straightforward. Reading a blog on “Ways to build your bargaining power on your trip to India”  might help while shopping from the streets.

Avoid giving money to the beggers, offer food items instead. Most of them are a part of a gang where money generally goes at the top. You can maybe read a blog on “famous scams in India” to be more informed.

 Overall, your body language needs to show alertness and self-dependence rather than vulnerability, even if you need help with something. You need to develop this habit of figuring things out without showing it out to everybody. So, first-timers should prefer group trips to India before attempting solo. 

Safety Essentials

There are a few basic safety essentials that you need to have by your side if you are on your trip to India. First of all, self-defence tools. These are something that you should carry not only in India but everywhere you go, just in case you meet an emergency. It can include pepper spray, a penknife, a strong hairpin, or any other tool that you think might help with self-defence.

 Along with that, you need to make arrangements to stay connected to your close ones via call or text messages. You can take a Local phone number for which you just need to have your passport and identity card. 

Pre-requisite knowledge

Exploring India can be overwhelming especially for the first time. So, it would be great if you have a little bit of knowledge beforehand. Try reading a few books or articles about the place you are going to visit in India. Learn about the culture, customs, attire, people, and life in that particular area. It would simply enhance your experience at the same time make things easier for you. 

The best thing you can do is talk to a friend of yours who has already been to India and ask them about their experiences about how to tackle the little difficulties on the way. 

Besides that, watching videos by travel bloggers has also come up as a new way to gain pre-requisite knowledge! 

Self-care essentials

Being a woman we often spend a great deal of time looking after our skin and hair. If not, we are certainly concerned about it most of the time and it’s too obvious that skincare would be essential while travelling to an entirely different temperature zone. Let’s face it, you ARE going to face skin problems. So it’s better to take precautions to be less affected.

Don’t forget your sunscreen lotion which must be at least SPF 50. Along with that, you need to make sure you always carry your scarf, sunglasses, and a cap or hat. You might see a lot of Indian women okay with it, but don’t do the mistake of taking it lightly because your body is not habitual to it and may cause skin problems, or might make you fall ill. 

You need to be ready to face the temperature change because you don’t wanna fall sick on a trip right?

Below are some quick tips that might help you while on your trip to India…

• If you carry a sling bag, don’t just carry it vertically on your shoulder as it may make you easy prey for pickpocketers. Instead, carry it diagonally on the other shoulder. This will make things difficult for them and they may not even target you in the first place. 
• An Ola or Uber cab would be preferable if you’re travelling solo. However, if there’s no availability, try taking auto-rickshaws that have much more safety chances as they are open.
•  While boarding a taxi or an autorickshaw, make a habit of placing a fake call or simply call somebody to inform that “you are on the way”. The idea is to put in the driver’s head that you have people waiting for you at the other end and that you are connected.
• Keep your GPS on while on a taxi or a rickshaw.
• Try to arrange for someone to pick you up at destinations like railway stations to the hotel, or the hotel to a destination. This service can be easily availed by the hotel you’ve booked. 
• You can try wearing comfortable Indian clothes like Kurta and trousers. They are soft and just perfect for the weather. In addition to it, they give you a certain level of acceptance around the people and places you visit. 
• You can learn a little bit of “survival Hindi” which would be fun and make things a lot easier.

Hope this blog helped you with all the information you were looking for! 

Stay tuned for more.

Goddess Parvati started preparing for a bath. As she didn’t want to be disturbed during her bath and since Nandi was not at Kailash to keep guard of the door, Goddess Parvati took the turmeric paste (for bathing) from her body and made a form of a boy and breathed life into him. This boy was instructed by Goddess Parvati to guard the door and not let anyone in till she finished her bath.

Subsequently, when Shiva finally reached Kailash after spending a long time in Gajasura’s stomach, he found himself being stopped by this strange boy. Shiva tried to reason with the boy saying that he was Parvati’s husband but the boy did not listen and was determined to not let Shiva enter till his mother Goddess Parvati finished her bath. The boy’s behaviour surprised Shiva. Sensing that this was no ordinary boy, the usually peaceful Shiva decided he would have to fight the boy and in his divine fury severed the boy’s head with his Trishul thereby killing him instantly.

When Parvati learned of this, she was so enraged and insulted that she decided to destroy the entire Creation. At her call, she summoned all of her ferocious multi-armed forms, the Yoginis arose from her body and threatened to destroy all. Lord Brahma, being the Creator, naturally had his issues with this, and pleaded that she reconsider her drastic plan. She said she would, but only if two conditions were met: one, that the boy be brought back to life, and two, that he be forever worshipped before all the other gods.

Shiva, having cooled down by this time, agreed to Parvati’s conditions. He sent his Shiva-dutas out with orders to bring back the head of the first creature that is lying dead with its head facing North. The Shiva-dutas soon returned with the head of a strong and powerful elephant Gajasura which Lord Brahma placed onto the boy’s body. Breathing new life into him, he was declared as Gajanana and gave him the status of being foremost among the gods, and leader of all the ganas (classes of beings), Ganapati.

  The Story of Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular deities in Hinduism. He is known as the God of wisdom and the remover of obstacles. Many Hindus across the world pray to him before taking a test or when they need a bit of luck. Lord Ganesha is depicted with a golden complexion, a big belly, four arms and unlike the other Gods an elephant head. Lord Ganesha’s head is what makes him popular across the globe but it makes people wonder how the Hindu deity got his unique body.

Lord Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati is known as the goddess of marriage, fertility, and harmony. Parvati and Shiva lived on Mount Kailash-the perfect place for a divine couple to live as it was isolated from civilization and mysticism. The  Gods lived a serene life up in the clouds of Mount Kailash.

One day, Parvati wanted to take a bath in peace in her palace in Mount Kailash. She wanted to be left with no distractions. If the goddess wanted to be left alone, she would keep her servant, Nandi, a guard at her door. However,  Nandi was not in Kailash that day. This wasn’t a big deal for Parvati as she had divine powers and she could find another solution to her dilemma. Parvati decided to create her guard out of turmeric paste that was used for her bath. She made a clay-like mixture with turmeric and moulded a boy. After the boy was moulded, he was given life by Parvati. The boy had golden skin and was beautiful. His name was Ganesha. Parvati gave Ganesha an order to guard her bathroom doors and to not let anyone in until she was done with her bathing. Ganesha promised to live up to this order. He was obedient to Parvati as she was his mother.

While Parvati was bathing, Shiva decided to take a break from his meditation and head to his Kailash home. He was eager to see his wife but was met with a little golden boy. When Shiva tried to enter the bathing quarters, Ganesha stopped him. Shiva was furious. He didn’t know that this boy was his son. Shiva didn’t understand why this boy was prohibiting him from entering his palace. Frustrated by Ganesha’s stubbornness, Shiva decapitated Ganesha with his Trishul, leaving Parvati’s son dead.

Once Parvati was done bathing, she quickly found out that Lord Shiva decapitated Ganesha. Parvati was enraged that Shiva would do such a thing. Shiva was startled by the anger she had for him and the motherly love she had for Ganesha. Parvati threatened the whole world with her Yoginis. She was adamant on destroying the world. She was stopped by negotiation with Lord Brahma, the creator. He promised that Ganesha would be brought back to life and that he would be worshipped. Shiva sent out his Shiva-dutas to bring the head of the first living creature they see. His people returned with the head of a freshly decapitated elephant. Lord Brahma placed the head on the deceased body of Ganesha and he was brought back to life as a divine being.

Hinduism is often seen as a diverse yet complex religion. Although the philosophies of Hinduism are accepted around the globe, it might be quite difficult to understand it as a religion. Moreover, most of the beliefs that people have about Hinduism are not even true. This blog is to clear all the facts about Hinduism and answer one most important question “Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?”

What is Hinduism?

In simple words Hinduism is a “way of life” or more accurately, a compilation of many traditions and philosophies that guide us to lead our lives in a certain way. Hinduism is referred to as a “dharma” which has a deeper meaning than the word “religion”. Unlike the generally known point of view, Hinduism believes in “One Supreme power” that is the creator of mankind and has the ability to protect or even destroy it when necessary. It does not force any being to worship yet, provides patience, fulfilment, compassion and peace to the one who does. 

How did it originate and how did it get its name?

Although the word “Hinduism” is only as old as the colonial period, the word “Hindu” dates back to more than 4000 years. Initially, the term “Hindu” was more of a geographical term than religious. It was used for the people living around the Indus river (known as Sindhu in Sanskrit). The people from some other parts of the world were not able to pronounce it and thus “Sindhu” got improvised as “Hindu”. During the Indus Valley civilization, they had established certain rules for the society and defined a certain way of conducting life. Gradually, this came to be known as the “Hindu” religion altogether. The term “Hinduism” was coined only recently around 1830 by Indians who opposed British colonialism and wanted to establish a distinct identity for their community. 

Now let’s dive into the main question, which is, “Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?”

The logical reason 

Since the ancient times, when the religion thing was not even clearly termed, the people had a habit of being thankful to nature for letting them use its resources. So they used to show gratitude by treating them as “God” because it helped them sustain. That’s the reason why there are gods for all natural resources like God of Earth, God of Mountain, God of Wind, God of forest and so on. Later on, people started personifying and attributing them just to bring a sincerity towards them. As a sign of worship, man used to nurture the resources in return of using it, for example, planting more trees and watering them. With the passage of time, people started blindly following this “rule” of physical offerings, which is not even compulsory. 

The mythological reason

As mentioned earlier, Hinduism believes in “One Supreme Power” which has three main forms, that are, Brahma-the creator, Vishnu– the sustainer, Shiva– the destroyer. All other Hindu deities are just the incarnation of these Gods in the human world like Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Ganesha, etc. The incarnations took place mostly to end some evil being that was a huge threat to mankind and could not be tackled by a normal person. It can also be said that they were just great men blessed with some special powers, born into the world with a motive to end evil. 

Does it promote idol worship and physical offerings?

These great men did a lot for the welfare of the society and achieved some unpredictable milestones. Therefore, people started to worship them and offer them their favourite delicacies just to make them happy, similar to what we might normally do for someone whom we are grateful for. They continued to be worshiped throughout the generations, even when they were not physically present as it was believed they would bless them. The Hindu Guru’s formulated the idea of idol worship just to increase concentration during prayers. Further, people started to worship the idols with physical offerings like sweets and milk. As the idols were made in an open space, the offerings would generally be eaten up by the insects, birds or animals which made it look like it is actually “accepted by God”. This further promoted the idea of idol worship and physical offerings to another level. At that point, there was nothing wrong with it as it was being consumed by the needy, who are also a part of nature. But in recent times, this has turned into blind faith, where people are unaware of where their offerings go. Sadly, much of it goes into drains which is a wrong practice, and something that needs awareness. 

Why do some people mostly worship a particular God?

This is solely because of the fact that some people relate more with a particular God because of their nature and background. For example, Lord Krishna was the king of Dwarka, a place in Gujarat. You will find most of the people in Gujarat worship Lord Krishna the most as they might feel a special connection towards their character. This can vary with respect to other aspects as well but the idea is to have faith and pray irrespective of expecting anything in return. 

Hope this blog cleared all that you had in mind about “Hinduism” and the reason behind so many Gods. Share this with anyone you think might be curious about it and let us know how you liked it. 

Also If you’re planning your trip to India, we would be delighted to host you. You can mail us at mumbai@boundlessexplorism.com or send us a Quick Whatsapp message.

India has a deep connection with its national game, hockey. Although not much highlighted, hockey has brought a lot of pride to India. Recently, the Indian men’s hockey team won the bronze medal in Tokyo Olympics 2021. Following this great event, the Indian government changed the highest sports award, “Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award,” to “Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award” on 6th August 2021 after receiving requests from all across the country. 

1928-1956 was when India used to dominate world hockey and made India standout at the International level. India won 6 gold medals in a row from 1928 – 1956 and gave an unbeatable performance at the Olympics Games. There was a wizard behind all of this who used to create the magic on the Hockey field. 

Major Dhyan Chand, an army man and a phenomenal hockey player, was known worldwide for his excellent ball control. He was the one who showed the vision to the people of India, that even they are capable of representing India at an International level back when India was still under British rule. So let’s take a closer look at how an ordinary army man came to be known as “The wizard of Indian Hockey.” 

Not many people know that Major Dhyan Chand’s real name was Dhyan Singh. He was born in Allahabad to Shraddha Singh and Someshwar Singh, who worked in the British Indian Army. 

Initially, he had no severe inclination towards sports, but he loved wrestling. He said he did not even remember if he played hockey before joining the Army. He joined the Army when he was 17 and started playing army hockey tournaments and regimental games. He made way for the Indian Army’s hockey team to the New Zealand tour in 1926. They won 18 matches, drew two, and lost only one match. This remarkable performance got him selected for the Indian Hockey team for the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. 

In the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, India defeated Germany by 8-1and bagged the gold medal. However, even that one goal made by Germany was incidental, and in fact, was the only goal against India in the entire Olympics. Such was the magic of “The Wizard” Major Dhyan Chand. 

Adolf Hitler even ordered the officials to cross-check his hockey stick for any magnets but couldn’t find anything. He was so amazed that he even requested him to play for Germany along with the offer of providing him German citizenship and a position of a colonel in the German Army. Major Dhyaan Chand refused the offer as he was a patriot at heart. 

He played his last international match in 1948 against the Netherlands and decided to take a retirement from “serious hockey.” In 1956 he retired from the Indian Army as a lieutenant and was honored with the Padma Bhushan India’s third-highest civilian award. 

He taught at coaching camps at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Later he was offered the position of Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of sports. 

Major Chand died of Liver Cancer on 3rd December 1979 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Since then, his birthday, 29th August, is celebrated as the National Sports Day of India.

Legends like Major Dhyan Chand are born only once, but their legacy goes on forever. 

Crowded streets, flashy buildings, and luxury cars; that’s what most people imagine when Mumbai’s name comes up. And why not? After all, it’s the commercial, financial and entertainment capital of India. And the image it has resembles a lot with reality.

But what’s more interesting is knowing how a mere group of seven Islands flourished into a “dream” city gaining international recognition. Here’s a brief insight.

Birth

The enormous city was initially a group of seven islands, home to the fishermen from the “Koli community.” The islands were under the control of successive indigenous rulers for centuries until the Portuguese found them. In 1498 AD, the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed in Calicut seaport for the first time. He was warmly received by King Zamorin, the local ruler of Calicut, and sent back with a rich cargo worth 60 times the cost of the expedition. In 1501 AD, Gama visited again. This time to set up a trading unit at Cannanore. Soon they began to spread their trade units successfully across the region.  Arab traders grew jealous of the success of the Portuguese traders and planned to mess up their relations with the local king Zamorin.

This eventually led to a war between the two. The King was defeated by the Portuguese and handed over military control. This marked the beginning of foreign rule in India.

The Portuguese kept ruling until Prince Charles II married Catherine of Braganza in 1661 and received the seven islands as dowry. After some time, the King realized it was a lot of trouble ruling this far-off city “Bombay” (as it was called then). So, he leased it to the East India Company for 10 pounds of gold annually.

The East India Company was formed by a group of English merchants called the ‘Merchant Adventurers’ in 1599 who was inspired by the Portuguese traders. This was the time when Bombay flourished and all the developments started happening although most of it was for trade purposes.

Development Phase

Gerald Aungier became Governor of Bombay in 1669 and established the mint and printing press. He also transformed the city into a centre of commerce. The various business incentives offered by him attracted other Indian communities like Gujaratis, Marwaris, Parsis and Jews etc. Bombay was made the Indian Headquarters of the East India Company in 1687. 

Bombay faced a lot of wars during the late 17th century as various Portuguese and Indian rulers tried to gain control. The construction of The Bombay Castle was completed in 1715, which would safeguard it from all the sea attacks by the Portuguese and Mughals. The St. Thomas cathedral was constructed in 1718 by Charles Boone, the first Anglican Church in Bombay. In 1753, the Naval Dockyard was opened, the oldest dockyard in the city.

Between the period of 1817-1886, Bombay saw a lot of city developments and most of the historical constructions that we see today were formed.

The Hornby Vellard project, which was rejected by the East India Company in 1783  started gaining momentum in 1817. One of the main improvements was the construction of the Wellington Pier, the present Gateway of India area. The Bank of Bombay, the oldest bank in the city, was opened in 1840. By 1845, all seven islands were connected to form a single island called the Old Bombay covering an area of 435 sq. km owing to the Hornby Vellard Project. The Grant Medical College, the third in the country, was founded by Governor Robert Grant in 1845. On 16th April 1853, India’s first-ever railway line started its operations between Bombay and Thane, covering 21 miles.

The Bombay spinning and weaving company, Bombay’s first cotton mill, was established in July 1854. The University of Bombay and the University of Calcutta were founded in 1857, which were the first modern institutions for higher education in India. These developments by the British went on and on until India gained Independence.

At the time of Independence, Bombay was already a mainstream city with a lot of political and financial significance.

Shaping into the present scenario

The name Bombay was changed to “Mumbai” in 1995 after the mother Goddess of the city Mumba Devi.

Mumbai has always been known for its fast-paced life. Being a city of national relevance and headquarters to many of the important national institutions, it has a working population. Owing to the very competent Mumbai local trains, the city has managed to keep its local transport costs minimal along with maintaining efficiency. Mumbai has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires in the country. Another huge thing associated with the city of Mumbai is the epic Indian film industry. Mumbai is better known as the film city and seems to be a dream to many youngsters in the country. The relation between the city and movies dates to the late 19th century. The first film ever shot by an Indian was “ The wrestlers” made in 1899 made by HS Hatavdekar. The first film released in India was Sree Pundalik, a silent Marathi film by Dadasaheb Torne on May 18th 1912. Although short motion pictures were made, the first full-length motion picture, Raja Harishchandra, was made by Dada Saheb Phalke in 1913. The Indian film Industry has kept rapidly expanding through the years and here it is now, releasing over 1000 movies on an average annually.

So much of the happenings, related to just one city. Isn’t it quite a rich history?

To experience an insightful understanding of the city’s rich history, culture, and lifestyle led by our friendly English-speaking female tour guide, contact us now.

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.

Ranging from all genres be it action, romantic, comedy, thriller, or horror, Bollywood has several options within each of them. Unlike other film industries of the world, Bollywood has some unique things to offer the audiences which have helped it grow even more.

Began in 1913, with silent movies the Indian film Industry has now become a $3.7 billion industry, producing 1000 films per year on an average. It has made tremendous growth in almost a little more than a hundred years and is expected to perform even better in the coming years. Well, what makes it unique and one of its kind? Let’s dig in!

How did it get the name?

The term bollywood was derived taking inspiration from “Hollywood”, used for the American film industry and the initial letter “B” stands for Bombay (now Mumbai) as the Indian film industry is based there.  But unlike the name, Bollywood is way different from Hollywood in terms of the movie’s characteristics.

Origin

In 1913 The first-ever Indian film was Raja Harishchandra, a black and white silent movie based on mythology was made by Dada Saheb Phalke. India only produced silent movies until the movie Alam Ara came out in 1931 with all the musical and dance elements. A few years later in 1937, the first Indian colour movie ‘Kisan Kanya’ came out. Since those times the industry growth has been massive. Let’s look into how Bollywood evolved through the years…

The Golden Era( 1940’s – 1960’s)

The 1940’s- 1960’s era was said to be the Golden Era of Bollywood. Movies around this time were mostly about revolution, highlighting social issues, struggles and wonders of urban life. The era gave out some evergreen movies like Mother India(1957) and Mughal-e-Azam(1960). Some of the actors who ruled during this era include Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt and actresses like Nargis, Vyjayanthimala, Meena Kumari, Nutan, Madhubala, and others.

 Classic Bollywood (1970’s -1980’s)

Movies during this period had shifted to the mix of romance and action. They generally included a villian involved in some crime, and the protagonist mainly acting as a savior for the public like Sholay (1975). Most of the movies also had a female lead who would act as the reason behind all the fights! 

This era experienced some of the most legendary actors like Rajesh Khanna being the first actor to be given the tag “superstar”. Amitabh Bachhan, Rishi Kapoor, Dharmedra were also some of them. Not only actors but actresses like 

Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Rekha, Dimple Kapadia did some great work.

 New Bollywood (1990’s – Present)

Around the late 80’s when the industry growth started becoming stagnant due to the excessive violence, crime and decline in quality of music, a new set of actors entered Bollywood. One such movie was “Qayamat se Qayamat tak”(1988) starring Aamir Khan  which proved to be a turning point. During the 1990’s – 2000’s Bollywood produced some really great romantic movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun(1994), Kuch Kuch Hota hai (1998) and comedy movies like Biwi No. 1 and Raja Babu. These movies not only had a great storyline but also backed by rich music and dance. 

This era gave rise to ‘The Three Khans’ of bollywood namely Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. Not only these but many other stars like Govinda and Akshay Kumar became prominent during these times. 

A list of Bollywood beauties ruled hearts during this era, like Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Priety Zinta, Rani Mukherjee and many more.

During the early 2000’s movies generally featured NRI communities as this was the period India started to witness globalization. Hence, most of them were shot overseas. The present time movies are a mix of everything-romance, drama, thriller, action, and science fiction. Now-a-days movies that break societal stereotypes are also coming up like Thappad(2020) and Pink(2016). This is a huge upgrade for the industry and hopefully much more is going to be achieved in the coming years.

What things will you experience on a Bollywood tour?

Your Bollywood expert guide will take you on a story-telling walk to the celebrity neighborhood of some of the biggest Bollywood stars. After the induction walk, we will use the world-famous Mumbai local train to reach the premier Bollywood studio. We walk you through some elaborate film sets like the hospital, courtroom, Police station and see how these structures are built and taken down overnight. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to witness a live shoot, see a film crew at work, and perhaps even meet celebrities.

The highlight of the visit is the recording room; where you will learn how dubbing takes place, as well as how special effects are used in Bollywood films. Over here you would also have a chance to record a Karaoke song of your choice. Last but not least we will be a part of a live dance show and you’ll even get to dance with them! This tour is highly recommended if you are a Bollywood fan or simply want to learn about Indian cinema in detail. 

Hope to meet you soon on the tour!

The 21st century has seen more and more people step in to travel the world and learn about different cultures. When you travel to a different country, there are new challenges to face and adapt to the overwhelming culture, food, people, etc. It can get a bit more difficult than expected when English is not the primary language of the host country. It is a bit easy at least in some continents, where the primary languages of the countries have similar scripts. The similarity in the words can enable the traveller to play with it and communicate to fulfil its purpose. Unlike in some countries like India, where the country itself is equivalent to a continent, every state or region has its own official languages and dialects. In such cases, it becomes very essential to know that one language which could help you to communicate in every state and region of the country. 

Although every state has a different language, Hindi is the official language of India. Even if you visit a certain area where people don’t speak Hindi, they would still understand it. So Hindi is the language you can use to communicate in the entire country regardless of whichever state you go into. But the hard fact is Hindi is not an easy language you could learn in a few weeks or months. Although, there are many online lessons on the internet which claim to make your Hindi fluent in 3 months, which is practically impossible. Moreover, one cannot devote 3-4 months just to learn a foreign language to use it on their trip. But nevertheless, in this blog, you will learn about the useful sentences which will allow you to survive with your Hindi speaking and where to place it.

Before we begin with the sentences, we just want to let you know something very important. Hindi has multiple similar sounding letters which change the meaning completely if you miss the correct pronunciation. For example, the Hindi language has 4 T’s and 4 D’s. So you don’t want to end up in some embarrassing situation with a disastrous meaning. So make sure you learn the correct pronunciations of these survival Hindi phrases. You can use free tools 

Like Google Pronounce, for that purpose.

The survival Hindi phrases are divided into 3 sections based on situations they need to be used and combinely cover almost all the sentences you might need throughout your trip.

Basic Words:

• Yes – Haa
• No – Nahi
• Day – Din
• Morning – Subah
• Night – Raat
• Water – Paani
• Food – Khana
• Left – Baaye
• Right – Daaye
• Today – Aaj 
• Tomorrow – Kal
• Yesterday – Kal 
• Day after tomorrow – Parso 
• Temple – Mandir
• Mosque – Masjid
• Okay – Thik Hai
• Let’s go – Chalo
• What – Kya
• Why – Kyu
• Who – Kaun
• When – Kab
• Where – Kaha
• How – Kaisey 
• You – Aap
• Me – Mai
• They – Vo
• Them – Unko
• There – Unka
• Come – Aao
• Go – Jao
• Run – Bhaag
• More – Zada
• Very- Bohat
• Less – Kam
• Correct – Sahi
• Wrong – Galat

Basic words while eating out:

• Breakfast – Nashta
• Lunch/Dinner – Khana
• Tea – Chai  
• Sugar – Cheeni
• Sweet –  Mitha
• Salt – Namak
• Salty – Namkeen
• Chilli – Mirchi
• Spicy – Teekha
• Sour – Khatta
• Bitter – Kadwa
• Chapati/Bread – Roti
• Rice – Chawal
• Vegies – Sabzi
• Hot – Garam
• Cold – Thanda

While meeting someone/Goodbyes:

• Hello/GoodBye- Namaste
• How are you?- Aap Kaise ho?
• I am fine- Mai theek hu
• What is your name- Aapka naam kya hai?
• My name is John- Mera naam John hai.
• Where do you live- Aap Kaha rehte ho?
• I live in India- Mai India mei rehta/ rehti hu
• Do you speak English- Kya aap English bolte ho?
• I speak very little Hindi- Mai bohat kam Hindi bolta/bolti hu.
• Nice to meet you- Aapsey mil kar acha laga
• Thankyou- Dhanyawad/ Shukriya( Although these are the Hindi words for thank you, you may simply choose to say Thank You as most of the people know these basic english words)
• We will meet again/soon- Fir milenge 

When you want to express/appreciate:

• It’s very beautiful- Ye bohat sundar hai
• You are very beautiful – Aap bohat sundar hai
• You are very nice – Aap bohat ache hai
• It’s tasty/delicious- Ye bohat swadisht/tasty hai
• What’s there for breakfast/lunch/dinner- Khane me kya hai?
• India is great- India bohat acha hai
• Good, Great, Very Good- Bohat acha
• That’s very spicy- Bohat tikha hai
• Very little spicy– Bohat kam tikha

While Shopping/sightseeing:

• How much- Kitna
• It’s too expensive- Bahut mehnga hai
• I want to go to Dadar- Mujhe Dadar jana hai
• I don’t need it- Mujhe nahi chahiye
• Go by meter- Meter se chalo
• Let’s go – Chalo 
• Stop –  Ruko
• What happened – Kya hua?

Numbers: