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Gateway
of India is the landmark of Mumbai, the commercial capital of India. This is
the most famous monument and the most photographed monument of Mumbai. Built
as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary
to India in 1911, this arch shaped structure is also the starting point for
most tourists who want to explore the city. Standing proudly with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone, the Gateway of India is one of the imperial monument build by the British government in Mumbai. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens. Behind the arch, there are steps leading down to the water. Here, you can get into one of the little motor launches, for a short cruise through Mumbai's splendid natural harbour.
Rising 25 m high, the archway designed by architect Gujarati in the style of the 16th century, sits on top of Apollo Bunder(the place name), with well laid gardens on the front side. One can also find launches & cruisers anchored on the seaside. The Gateway of India is also the starting point for Elephanta caves. This most visited place of Mumbai is always crowded, some rushing to get launch, and few street vendors moving around with there ice-cream carts and souvenirs.
Reaching Mumbai -
Air : Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhopla, Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kathmandu, Lucknow, Madurai, Patna, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vishakapatnam.
Rail : Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Madras, Cochin, Delhi, Gwalior, Jhansi, Calcutta, Trivandrum, Varanasi.
Road : One can easily reach Mumbai by road from the neighbouring states.
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