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Churches of Mumbai

November 18, 2011 | Author admin

Churches of Mumbai

Churches in Mumbai reflect the long association of Mumbai with the British and the Portuguese during the colonial era. Apart of being a sacred place of worship, these churches are rich repository of architectural specimens that involve all major trends of the European art and culture.
Mt. Mary Church

Location Bandra West, Mumbai
How to reach Board a local that will take you here, or hire an auto or taxi
Presiding Deity Virgin Mary
Special Attraction Bandra Fair
Best Time to visit September & anytime of the year

Mt. Mary Church is among the most prominent churches in Mumbai, with devotees flocking here from all faith. Situated in West Bandra past Hill Road the Basilica of our Lady of Mount Mary was built by the Portuguese in 1640. Mary Church is famous for the kind rituals that reinforce the power of prayers. The Marathi speaking communities refer Mother Mary as – Math Mauli.

In the month of September the festival of the Virgin Mother culminates in a week long Bandra fair. Abuzz with a carnival like excitement, the Bandra fair has stalls selling gooey Goan sweets and wax idols of the Virgin along with an assortment of candles shaped like hands, feet and various other parts of the body. It is the time when the sickly and all those in need for blessings converge with a pious hope that Mother Mary will consider their appeals for help.

The locale of Mt. Mary Church is just as picturesque as it’s sacred. One can watch the sunset and calmness that engulfs Arabian Sea from this place. With devotees flocking Mt. Mary Church all round the year, it has gained a special place of faith among the hearts of people from all sects and religion. People strongly believe that Mount Mary fulfils their genuine wishes if prayers are made earnestly and faithfully.

St Michael’s Church Mumbai

Location Mahim, Mumbai
How to reach Board a local that will take you here, or hire an auto or taxi
Kind of Church Catholic
Best time to visit Anytime of the year

St. Michael’s Church is among the oldest Catholic churches in Mumbai. As an influence of two major colonial powers the British and the Portuguese, churches came to being all over India and Mumbai was not untouched. St. Michaels Church situated on the Upper Mahim evokes the beginning of Christianity within India.

It is believed that St. Michaels Church was built early in the 16th Century and the written documents confirm its existence since 1565. In the year 1854, when Bishop Hartmann lost control of the church, he raised funds and built Our Lady of Victory Church neat St. Michael’s. Today both these churches are still extant on their sites. The current structure of St. Michaels was rebuilt in 1973. Today St. Michael’s Church is popular for its Novenas on Wednesdays.

As a catholic heritage of Mumbai, St. Michael’s church is keeping up with the changing times. Catholic devotees flock the church and attend the daily masses that are held here. Christmas is the occasion when St. Michael’s Church drape an extravagant look, with people from all faiths congregating to present a secular face of India.

St. Thomas’ Cathedral is the first Anglican Church in Mumbai, situated near the Flora Fountain. Built in 1718, St. Thomas Cathedral was an effort to improve the moral standards of the growing British settlement. This church was selected for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage conservation award 2004.

Wodehouse Church is another major church situated on Wodehouse Road at Colaba in Mumbai. Christian devotees flock the Wodehouse church on a regular basis. On January 15, 2004, the Wodehouse Church entered its centenary year. The Wodehouse Church is exorbitantly decorated with a glut of art and that does not distract the devotees, instead they inspire and add to the peace and tranquility amidst the aesthetic appeal.

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Juhu Beach

November 18, 2011 | Author admin

Location Central suburb of Mumbai
Specialty Famous for mesmerizing Sunset and Mumbai’s street food
Attraction ISKCON Temple, St. Joseph Church, Gandhi Gram
Best Time Anytime of the year

Juhu Beach is Mumbai’s most attractive beach lapped up by the gushing turquoise waves of Arabian Sea that is all set to act coolant to your frayed nerves. This flat beach is almost in the center of Mumbai and has a carnival like atmosphere year round. With three entrances to Juhu Beach, you could get in from Vile Parle side, Santa Cruz side or from Andheri side.

Famous for its mesmerizing sunset when the horizon against the vast unending expanse of surging Arabian Sea is resplendent with a host of hues that the violent Red of the dying Sun turns into. Come to witness this awe inspiring spectacle when the Sun softly descends into the Arabian Sea leaving behind the patches of its redness which you can lap up a memento of your visit to this fantastic beach.

Always a popular hunt for the city dwellers, Juhu beach has more than sand and Sun, it is famous for Mumbai’s own street food. You could relish on lip smacking Bhel Puri, Pani Puri, Shev Puri, Chats and don’t miss out on the delectable Pa Bhaji. You may not count on hygiene of these foods, but of course when in India one got to be strong and resilient. But if even that fails to turn you on, then be rest assured that you have a clutch of some of the most luxury hotels and restaurants in the vicinity to keep your taste buds contented.

When in Juhu, you could add to your itinerary some other hot spots of the area. If you are somewhere near to mysticism then ISKCON temple is the place to be. To catch a dramatic relief to your trip to Mumbai, you may well savor some piping hot coffee within the stimulating environs of the Prithvi Theater that has kept the genre of plays alive and kicking. You can also plan a visit to Gandhi Gram at the North end of Juhu beach, where Mahatma Gandhi used to live when he practiced law in the Bombay High Court.

You may also love to know that today Juhu is home to some of the iconic stars of Bollywood too, with the legendary film stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit residing here.

How to Reach Juhu Beach

By Air
Juhu is just 25kms North of the city center and is quite close by to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the domestic airport. These airports are conveniently connected to Juhu by various transport services. You may opt for some cool cabs or taxis that will take you to the marvelous Juhu Beach.

By Train/Rail
You may board a suburban train from Church gate or from VT using the Harbor Line to either Santa Cruz train station or Vile Parle station to reach Juhu.

By Road
Juhu is well connected with various transport services. You could opt for cabs, autos or buses to reach to the place.

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Churchgate

July 19, 2011 | Author admin

Churchgate is a downtown business district in South Mumbai. Imbibing its name from Churchgate Railway Station, the city center is crammed with several offices and banks. However, the railway station is a big hit in the transportation market of Mumbai, being the terminus of Western Railway line of Suburban Railway. Seeing that it is the preliminary point of many trains, it is always thrived with people going to their offices.

If truth is to be told, the term Churchgate has been derived from St Thomas Church that is sited about half a kilometer from the railway station and a primeval gate, now taken over by the Flora Fountain. Dotted with number of banks and offices, Churchgate also makes the site for the Income Tax Office. Nariman Point, the class business center of Mumbai, is just about a kilometer from Church Gate. To its west lies the Marine Drive, this is a beautifully designed avenue in Mumbai (or erstwhile Bombay).

This area is also a focal point of educational institutions like University of Mumbai, Government Law College, Jain Hind College, K.C. College and Indo-German Training Center. Wankhede Cricket Stadium, Mahindra Hockey Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and Oval Maidan are some of the prestigious sport complexes in the region. In precise terms, Churchgate is a nice place to take a stroll and have a quick look of the distinguished buildings of Mumbai.