30 never-to-be-missed experiences in Mumbai

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Ola People!

By nature, I’m a wanderer. My home is deep within the forest, but my heart lies in the bustling city of Mumbai. I now consider Mumbai as my home. Someone was right when he said - Home is where your heart is! Well, there are countless things one has to experience whenever one is in Mumbai, but I’d like to share some 30 never-to-be missed experiences in Mumbai. Do read them and try to experience the same.

1.Drink cutting chai at Kayani’s near Metro Cinema and eat vada pav made by Ashok Vaidya near Kirti College at Prabhadevi.

2. Sit down on the steps of Asiatic Society library.

3. Crane your neck to see the Mumbai Stock Exchange building.

4. Spend a night at the Nariman Point-Marine Drive-Chowpatty promenade.
-Do ride the Victoria to experience, being a true blue royalty.
-Lie Down on your back as you try to gaze at stars with music of waves crushing onto shores.
-Sit on a tetra-pod at Nariman Point and feel the winds kissing your cheeks, until a cop comes and asks you, Naav Kay Tumcha? (What is your name?)

5. Haggle for non-antiques in Chor Bazaar or bargain for cheap clothing & accessories at fashion street and Colaba Causeway.

6. Drive down to South Mumbai and back, from the suburbs via Bandra-Worli Sea Link post midnight, but before dawn.

7. Figure what all the fuss is about having a beer in Mondegar or Leopold in the day and eat kebabs at Bade Miyan in Taj’s back alley.

8. Bet money on race horses at the Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalaxmi.

9. Go for a heritage walk in the Fort Area looking for the Fort wall as you admire the British era architecture at Churchgate station, Western Railway headquarters, High Court, General Post Office, Telegraph Office and Police Headquarters.

10. Find the forts of Mumbai: Bombay Castle aka Casa da Orta, Fort; Castella de Aguada, Bandra; Madh Fort, Mahim Fort, Sion Fort, Sewri Fort, & Worli Fort.

11. New York and Berlin aren’t the only citites that make a claim of being art capital of the World. Check out the art scene in Mumbai by yourself at following galleries Jehangir Art Gallery, Fort; Piramal Art Gallery, Nariman Point; Tao Art Gallery, Worli and The Loft, Parel.

12. Catch the national madness of cricket in Oval Maidan.

13. Bury your nose in books for hours at Strand and later buy pirated copy of the same books from roadsides around Flora Fountain.

14. Eat pav bhaji, pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri at Girgaum Chowpatty and later try the Green Chilli Ice cream at Bachelor’s.

15. Envy the private palaces of Malabar Hill followed by a panoramic view of Queen’s Necklace from the Hanging Gardens to let it all go.

16. Get on a ferry in the Arabian Sea off Gateway of India, Getaway to the beaches around Mumbai - Alibaug, Kashid & Murud

17. Dare the red light district of Kamatipura.

18. Find out how small scale businesses such as the the open air laundromat in Dhobi Ghatand the Dabbawalas manage to get a six-sigma rating with its skilled, but Non-MBA employees.

19 Experience religious tolerance & spirituality at Mumbadevi, Mahalaxmi, Walkeshwar, Banganga, Siddhivinayak, Iskcon, Haji Ali and Maqdoom Ali Mahim.

20. Stand still on the J.J. Flyover and watch the crowd whiz by you.

21. Buy import quality vegetable & fruits at Crawford market.

22. Ride a double-decker bus and travel in a local train. I’d recommend to experience Virar Fast.

23. Enjoy a play in Prithvi Theatre.

24. Explore the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A one-of-a-kind national park in city limits.

25. Discover the underbelly of Mumbai in Dharavi.

26. Explore the Powai and Vihar lakes.

27. Learn about the rock-cut architecture at Elephanta, Kanheri and Mahakali caves.

28. Explore the centuries old churches around Mumbai from the St Michael's Church, Mahim built in 1565 & rebuilt in 1973 to the Wodehouse Church, Colaba, built in the 20th century.

29. Catch behind the scenes action at a Bollywood studio. You might just bump into a well known Superstar.

30. For unexplored travel experiences do visit www.tushky.com

*Also do check '100 things to do in Mumbai’ for an extensive blog on things to do in Mumbai by an uber-cool guy Zishaan Hayath.

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