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What exactly is Bomaby? Bombay is pyaar, connection, memories, and so on! It is anything and everything that your heart beats on because this city welcomes everyone, rich, poor, or middle class, the city will feel like a warm hug after a long day at work.
Bombay, or Mumbai, has evolved beautifully, but people here still keep the old vibes alive in their hearts. You can now find so much about Bombay on the Internet, but there are still so many iconic things in Mumbai that will instantly transport you to the vintage tales of Bombay.
If you, like us, are fascinated by Bombay, this guide is undoubtedly a treasure for you! Join us here as we reveal the Bombay treasure in Mumbai, which you can plan to visit on your next Mumbai tour.
1Vintage Double Decker Bus In Mumbai
The Double-decker Bus, a renowned ride in Bombay that thrills people even as it passes by, had to be the very first thing on our list. So uniquely Bombay that visitors who come for Mumbai tours prefer this ride because it gives them a sense of the city’s originality.
Initially, this bus was invented in 1937 to cope with the rapidly growing population and offer easy transport. The way it was designed made it popular from day one, apparently, they have forced a scrap of these buses as it does not match the pollution control emission norms. But we still have around 122 fleets of these that run only in the island cities and in the suburbs like Churchgate-CSMT and BKC.
The idea of a double-decker bus is so unique and attractive that recently an electric double-decker bus has been launched in Mumbai, it is the very first introduction in India so make sure you experience it once.
The vibe of our iconic double-decker bus will always remain irreplaceable as it’s not just the way it is designed but all the nostalgic moments of Bombay that meet your soul while you take a ride of the dream city in it.
2Red Post Box
What was romance during the Bomaby era? Postcards! The most important way of communicating with each other. The beautiful design and the bright red and black colour made this iconic creation so aesthetic that you’ll still find people capturing photographs of it.
This iconic post box is known as ‘Airmail’, this invention occurred in the nineteenth century but the official airmail came to India in 1911.
Every time when someone wanted to send a postcard or souvenirs in the early 90s, they had to all the way visit the post office which would be a hassle. And that’s where the idea of getting Airmail in India was executed.
As technology enhanced, people started using digital sources for sending letters, transferring money, etc., and the use of Airmail started decreasing. But the fact that Airmails from Bombay are a treasure, the government has decided not to scrap them and keep them as a way of living the old tales again and again.
3Iconic Kali Pili Taxi
Who was your sathidar while travelling in the city of dreams? Of course, our iconic kali pili taxi. There are versions of it to date, but our favourite and the original maharaja of Bombay was the Premier Padmini Taxi. Padmini or Fiat 1100 was renamed as Premier President in 1965 after it was first introduced in 1911. Later it was renamed after the Rajput queen of Mewari Padmini.
Sadly, Premier Padmini is going off the roads after the government passed a rule to ban taxis more than 20 years old. This notice was taken for safety purposes, and we completely understand it. But as we think of Premier Padmini no more being on the road as in the past, we also think of all the lovely moments shared with it.
Some before-date conversations, some thoughts of chasing dreams, some running late rants, and some peaceful journeys after a hectic day at work. It’s not just letting Premier Padmini go but also so many beautiful memories shared with it!
You might not find as many of them now when you are in Mumbai, but as you roam around in the suburbs, you will find them. If you do, then you have to take a ride in it and relive the Bombay bliss once.
4Koolar & Co.
One place where you can instantly time travel in Mumbai now is the vintage Iranian cafe Koolar & Co. Everything about this place is so much rooted to our old bombayish vibes, right from the wooden tables, and photo frames, to old newspaper frames, etc.
South Bombay still holds the older part of the city as compared to others and one of which is the Irani cafes. Amongst those that came to our mind first when we remembered the Bombay vibes was Kolar & Co. This legendary place was started in 1932, almost 91 years ago.
Be it a simple bun maska, or the authentic kheema pao, this place has been maintaining the taste since the beginning just like its furniture. So no matter what makes you feel the Bombay in Mumbai now, Koolar & Co. will definitely take you back in time for sure!
5Coolie
Coolie, a term used for low-wage labourers but in India, when someone says ‘Coolie instantly reminds us of the legendary movie – Coolie. The entire movie was an open book of predictions of how coolies live a life. This cinema brought so much importance to this profession right from the attire to the presence.
Not just the movie, but traditionally coolies have been a part of Bombay and Mumbai, they haven’t just carried luggage but also a bunch of memories, excitement, and joy of travelling. Coolies have been a very important part of the Bombay tales, and even when it’s Mumbai now.
6Taj Palace
We know how the very first thing that’s been since Bombay reminds us about Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba. Well, Taj is not just a brand but an identity for Mumbaikars of the rarest structure from eras.
Taj Mahal Palace is a heritage luxury hotel in Mumbai, nestled near the Gateway of India. It is more than the pictures people take grabbing its top, it is mandatory but what will make it worthwhile is a tour of it. You can visit there for a cup of tea, or to stay as far as you are comfortable to spend a wealthy amount.
Built in the Saracenic Revival style and was named after the ‘Taj Mahal’ in Agra. It is considered to be the finest hotel in the East since the British Raj. If there is any place in Mumbai that will time-travel you to the era of raja-maharajas then it’s the iconic Taj Palace.
Mumbai has its own hype and love from all of us, but there are also a few things that take us back to Bombay. May it be the lanes of South Bombay, iconic constructions like Horniman Circle, and so on. Bombay was always a city full of tales, and aesthetics.
If you loved this guide then make sure you stay tuned at www.things2do or follow @things2doinmumbai on Instagram for Part 2, till then go experience the Bombay in Mumbai!
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Disha Jain August 1, 2024
