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5 Mumbai international
tourist hot
spots
Mumbai
attracts the highest number of foreign tourists and
Maharashtra
is the most preferred tourist destination in India
according to
a recent report by the World Travel and Tourism
Council.The
state attracted as many as 4.5 million tourists
from foreign
countries and over 8.4 million domestic tourists,
which is
largest than any other state in the country in 2014.
While Delhi
stood second on the list, other popular destinations
like Goa,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu won the third, fourth and fifth
positions
respectively.
Here's a
look at the five spots in the city that are absolute favourites
of
international tourists.
GATEWAY OF INDIA
A prominent
landmark not only for Mumbai, but for the entire country,
the Gateway
of India overlooks the splendid Arabian Sea. Inaugurated
on 4th
December, 1924 and made in yellow basalt stone, it is the most
frequented
place by international tourists, especially history buffs and
photographers
for its flawless Indo-Saracenic architecture and picturesque
view. The
26-metre high archway joined with four turrets is a monument
that stands
tall and best demonstrates the spirit of the city.
DHOBI GHAT
Lined with
rows of open concrete wash pens, Dhobi Ghat is considered
as the
largest open-air laundry in the world, and has been explored by
several
commercial, art and documentary filmmakers, across the globe.
It makes for
a spectacular sight when several washermen gather at the
same time
every day to wash clothes. They use the age-old method of
using a
flogging stone and a wooden bat to wash clothes and this is a
unique sight
for many . The coloured clothes when starched and hung
on wires for
drying in a row, makes this place a photographer's delight.
HAJI ALI DARGAH
This
celebrated Islamic shrine is popular among tourists for its location
and the fact
that one needs to walk through a narrow pathway amidst
the Arabian
Sea to reach it. The Haji Ali Dargah is spread over an area of
5, 000 sq
metres and consists of three main structures a dargah, mosque
and
sanatorium. It houses the tombstone of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari (R.A.)
-a Muslim
saint. The shrine witnesses a huge footfall of visitors irrespective
of their
religion, social status and nationality. What lures most tourists is
the
Mughal-style architecture, with imposing white minarets and a large
marble-covered
entrance.
GLOBAL VIPASSANA PAGODA
Regarded as
one of the seven wonders of Maharashtra, this large meditation
centre in
Gorai was built in honour of Lord Buddha to spread the universal
message of
peace. It features among the biggest stone monuments across
Asia and
houses the sacred bone relics of Gautam Buddha in the main dome.
At 325 feet,
it is the largest pillarless dome in the world and surpasses
Bijapur's
Gol Gumbaz in size. With a seating capacity of 8, 000 people,
the Global
Vipassana Pagoda is popular among international tourists
who come to
India in search of nirvana.
ELEPHANTA CAVES
Not all
international tourists come to the city to shop for colourful Indian
clothes,
traditional jewellery or capture the glimpses of unfulfilled life in the
underprivileged lanes of Mumbai. A lot of them come to Mumbai to
experience
the century-old architecture and history . The seven cave
excavations
in the Elephanta caves and the evolved Brahmanical rockcut
architecture
and exquisite sculptures make it a most sought after destination
for
history-buffs. International tourists flock the caves during the popular
Elephanta
Festival that promotes art, culture and heritage through various
events that
are organised at the island.
DHARAVI IS THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED SPOT
One of the
largest slums in the world, Dharavi is the most photographed
place in
Mumbai. A place that sums up the extreme paradoxes that exist in
India -is a
prime centre of commerce and trade with thousands of small
scale
industries and businesses. Many of them produce export quality
goods
despite their struggle for basic issues like hygiene and sanitation.
There is a
lot about Dharavi that intrigues tourists from all quarters,
researchers
and documentary filmmakers.
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Srishti Shinde
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BT16OCT15
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