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Introduction
Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, is renowned as the
financial capital of India. One of the busiest metros
in the country, the society of Mumbai is multi-lingual
and multi-cultural. Besides, there are various popular
tourist destinations in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra
that makes this port city more colorful, like the Haji
Ali Mosque, Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens, Elephanta
Caves, Juhu Beach, etc. One such famous tourist attraction
in Mumbai is the Gateway of India, a fine instance of
colonial architectural heritage in India.
Background
Built to commemorate the visit of King George V and
Queen Mary to Mumbai in 1911, the Gateway of India was
designed by George Wittet. On 31st March 1911, the foundation
stone of this magnanimous arch, built in Indo-Saracenic
style, was laid. To construct the gateway, the land
required for it was reclaimed from Apollo Pier between
1915 and 1919. The foundations were completed in 1920,
and the construction in 1924. The gateway was inaugurated
on 4th December 4 1924 by the Viceroy, Earl of Reading.
This colonial symbol later became a sort of a memorial
when the British rule ended in 1947. First Battalion
of the Somerset Light Infantry, the last British troop
that left India, passed through the Gateway of India
on 28th February 1948.
Description
The Gateway of India , built at a cost of Rs 2.1 lacs,
has four turrets and is decorated in a delicate pattern
carved into the yellow kharodi basalt stone. Due to
scarcity of funds, the approach road was never built
and the gateway now stands at an angle to the road leading
up to it. To keep the gateway in line with the designed
promenade, which would sweep down to the middle of the
town, the whole seaport front was realigned. Behind
the arch are the steps leading down to the water. The
central dome of the gateway is 48 ft in diameter and
rises 83 ft above the ground at its highest point.
How to reach
To visit the Gateway of India , you can come down to
Mumbai by air, by rail, or by road. Mumbai is an international
airport, and is also the busiest domestic air network
in the country. The international terminal is at Sahar,
which is 30 km north of the city center. The domestic
terminal at Santa Cruz is just 4 km away. The main railway
station is Victoria Terminal, now renamed Chattrapati
Shivaji Terminal. Other railway stations are Dadar,
Churchgate, and Kurla. Prepaid taxis are available from
the airports to the downtown.
IndianHoliday.com offers information on Tourist attractions
in Mumbai and other tourist places in Mumbai India.
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