First Stop, Gateway of India!
While travelling in Mumbai formally known as Bombay on your India Tour you will expect to see the Gateway of India. The Gate of India is the central attraction of the city and is so important it would be hard to miss even if you tried. The building is located at the waterfront of Apollo Bunder area of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg in South Mumbai.
This prominent location is featured in many movies and serves as a significant tourist attraction. In fact, the monument is considered to be the Taj Mahal of Mumbai! The story of the monument begins with the British colonization of India, but it has served as the best and most visible tourist attraction in Mumbai since independence. While on your city tour of Mumbai or if you are visiting as part of a larger tour of India this is a site you definitely cannot miss.
The Gateway of India was built in 1911 to welcome King George V and Queen Mary. Like many celebratory structures built during this period, they had significant ties to British rule. The original structure was only built from cardboard to finish the task before the arrival of the British Monarch. The arch that we know today did not get started until 1915 well after the visiting dignitaries had left, but that did not stop the enterprising architect George Wittet to ensure that the building would have a lasting impact. The Gateway to India in Mumbai was completed in 1924, and played an important role during the end of the British reign in 1948.
As part of your tour of India, you will visit this magnificent building with its glorious archway facing the Arabian sea. The gateway provides an imposing view if entering Mumbai from the water. The building is built in the Indo-Saracenic style that combines elements of Roman, Indian and Islamic architecture.
The stones laid for the Gateway of India are made of yellow basalt and reinforced concrete as the materials were readily available. As the Gateway of India is a relatively modern structure, newer materials were used. The monument also has spaces to hold large groups for special events and holidays.
While visiting the Gateway of India, you also need to check out the Taj Mahal Palace as it is right next door and is of the oldest great hotels of India. India Gateway also serves as the main base for multiple jetty’s used by commercial and government groups, this is also the same place you will catch your boat to the Elephanta Caves, another must-see tourist site on your India Tour.
The Gateway of India is the most prominent tourist attraction in Mumbai! While its origins may not have been in the best interests of India at the time today, it brings thousands of people from around the world to the shores of the Arabia Sea.
The location and beauty of the archway have allowed it to be featured as a backdrop in many movies and shows filmed for the Indian community, and those from the West as well. When you are on your tour of India this is a stop that you cannot miss, and as it not only serves as its magnificent structure, it also serves as the home base for many of Mumbai’s important tourist attractions.
If you are planning a trip to Delhi or any of India’s great cities, use Bains Travel Canada’s most knowledgeable Travel Agency. With offices in Vancouver, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mississauga that services the entire Greater Toronto Area, you can come in for a face-to-face discussion about an India Tour, or just pick the phone anywhere in the United States or Canada to get a quote. Call us at 1-888-340-7447 or email at [email protected].