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Places

India

Bombay (Mumbai)

On 06 February 1893, Sri Aurobindo arrived Bombay. He had a spiritual experience - a vast calm which descended upon him at the moment when he stepped first on Indian soil after his long absence, in fact with his first step on the Apollo Bunder in Bombay: this calm surrounded him and remained for long months afterwards.

Maps

Appolo Bunder

Gate Way of India

Varia

Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. In fact Mumbai is a group of seven islands named COLABA, MAHIM, GIRGAUM, MAZGAON, PAREL, WORLI AND DONGRI. As well as being the financial and trade centre of India, Bombay is also an important cultural centre. Bombay houses India's film industry.

Initially Hindus ruled Mumbai and they were defeated by sultan of Gujarat and afterwards conquered by Portuguese. After Portuguese the British arrived here and Charles II married Catherine of Braganza and got these seven islands in dowry. The main founder of the city was Gerald Aungier. He developed the place with the help of Gujarati and Hindu merchants.

Under the States Reorganization Act 1956, Mumbai state was formed by merging the state of Kutch and Saurashtra, the Marathi speaking areas of Hyderabad [Marathwada] and Madhya Pradesh [Vidarbha] in the old state of Mumbai. After the transfer from the state of Kannada speaking areas of Belgaum, Bijapur, Kanara and Dharwar districts, which were added to the state of Mysore [New Karnataka]. The AbuRoad Taluka of Banaskantha district, which went to the state of Rajasthan.

By the Mumbai Reorganization Act, 1960 which came into force from May 1, 1960, the north and west of Mumbai state became the new state of Gujarat and the remainder was renamed Maharashtra. In January1996 previously known name Bombay has been changed to Mumbai.