Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
against the museum's very distracting stunning decor. The museum has also begun hosting
exhibitions of contemporary art and other special shows. Skip the zoo.
Haji Ali Dargah
Floating like a sacred mirage off the coast, this exquisite Indo-Islamic shrine is one of
Mumbai's most striking symbols. Built in the 19th century on the site of a 15th-century
structure, it contains the tomb of the Muslim saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. Legend has
it that Haji Ali died while on a pilgrimage to Mecca and his casket miraculously floated
back to this spot. A long causeway reaches into the Arabian Sea, providing access to the
dargah and mosque, but at high tide, water covers the causeway and the mosque becomes
an island. Thousands of pilgrims, especially on Thursdays and Fridays (when there may
also be
qawwali
, devotional singing), cross it to make their visit, many donating to beg-
gars who line the way. Once inside, pilgrims fervently kiss the dressings of the tomb - or
at least some do. In 2012, the dargah controversially adjusted its layout to bar women
from entering the inner tomb. Discussions are ongoing.
MOSQUE
Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat
If you've had washing done in Mumbai, chances are your clothes have already visited this
140-year-old
dhobi ghat
(place where clothes are washed). The whole hamlet is Mumbai's
oldest and biggest human-powered washing machine: every day hundreds of people beat
the dirt out of thousands of kilograms of soiled Mumbai clothes and linen in 1026 open-
air troughs. The best view, and photo opportunity, is from the bridge across the railway
tracks near Mahalaxmi train station.
GHAT
Mani Bhavan
MAP
MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
( 23805864;
www.gandhi-manibhavan.org
;
19 Laburnum Rd, Gamdevi; donation appreciated; 9.30am-6pm)
As poignant as it is tiny, this museum is in the building where Mahatma Gandhi
stayed during visits to Bombay from 1917 to 1934. The museum showcases the room
where the leader formulated his philosophy of satyagraha (nonviolent protest) and
launched the 1932 Civil Disobedience campaign that led to the end of British rule. Exhibi-
tions include a photographic record of his life, along with dioramas and original docu-
ments, such as letters he wrote to Adolf Hitler and Franklin D Roosevelt. Nearby, August
