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February 2012: Serving Customers Dec-Jan News |
Moving to Mumbai 101
Need an editable PowerPoint map of India We are featuring the newly released Mini Namaskar eBook in place of our Mumbai Expat Guide. Read more about the ebook.
Mumbai is the quintessential metropolis, with a multicultural background and a huge, ever-growing population. If the “City of Dreams”, as the moniker goes, beckons you, there is a lot of stuff you should know before you move here. I moved to Mumbai in 1997, when I was a student. As I grew up in the city, I have experienced all the highs and the lows of having to study and travel in Mumbai. There is a saying that you can get anything you want here, provided you know whom to ask. Number One. You need a place to stay. If you are a working professional, you need to find yourself a place as close to your workplace as possible. Most corporate offices are located at Nariman Point, Churchgate and the other western parts of Mumbai. If you can afford to rent a house at these places, well, you don’t need this piece. Bandra might be a good option for a place to stay, but again, only if you are earning well. Cheaper options are Kandivli, Mahim, Andheri, Borivali on the western suburbs and Matunga, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and perhaps even Thane, along the central railway lines. Be warned though, as the rates get cheaper, the distance increases. Borivali and Thane are 35 km away from Churchgate and CST respectively. Staying close to Dadar will always be wiser as you have a wider range of choice to travel. Most houses are leased out for eleven months. If you are a student, being a PG (paying guest) would certainly be a good option to consider if the college you study in doesn’t offer hostel accommodation. Number Two. Travel. You must have certainly seen footage of the local trains with people packed like sardines. Local trains are the most common form of travel for “Mumbaikars”. Economically speaking, it is very light on the pocket and everyone can afford it. But you need to get used to it. If you don’t know how to get in and get out of a train, just follow the crowd. Stand in the middle of the crowd; push around a little (it’s okay, everyone does it) and find a place to stand. You are done. Mumbai is a linear city with a V shape. Get a map to familiarize yourself with the names and places. Dadar is the point where the western and central lines (as they are called) meet. Hence the emphasis on staying near Dadar. Monthly and quarterly passes, smart cards, are available so you don’t have to worry about queues. If you are not a train person, buses are the next best thing. BEST is the literally the best bus service in the country with a multitude of routes to choose from and an unmatchable frequency. But buses, with traffic and various ongoing road projects, will take you at least 45 minutes more than in a train, though it is less taxing than train travel. Yes, such is life. There is always a difficult trade-off and you have to choose according to your lifestyle. Also, all auto rickshaws and taxis employ a standard tariff. So always pay according to the meter rates, and do not get fooled by the whims and fancies of the driver. Number Three. The third necessity is food. Mumbai provides a huge range of options for food, with fancy restaurants and lounges which cost a bomb to the vada pavs and chaats. There are the usual franchise outlets like KFC, McDonalds and the pizza variants. But for authentic cuisines, here are the places you need to know. Vada pavs, the staple food of the common man here, is now available in all chain joints, which have recently opened up. Jumbo King, Goli and Shiv Vada Pav are present outside all major railway stations. For vegetarian food, there are quite a number of restaurants in Bandra and Colaba out of which Karim’s is one. Matunga is the place to go for authentic South Indian food. Rama Naik near the railway station is a must visit. Non vegetarians throng to Café Noorani’s at Heera Panna and Mohammed Ali Road. There are several places for sea food including Mahesh Lunch Home in the Fort area and Koyla’s at Colaba. Out of the Blue in Khar and Kailash Parbat in Andheri are also must visits. But do not, at any cost, miss the chaat and pav bhaji at Juhu chowpatty. Number Four. The climate of Mumbai is very humid, which is obvious, considering it is on the sea shore. If you hail from drier cities, you will certainly have a tough time with the constant sweatiness. You will get used to it in a while. A deodorant will never seem like just an accessory when you travel here. Trust me. Also, it rains cats and dogs here so it would do you well to be prepared with monsoon accessories. Winters are cool, but not frigid, so the woolens are generally not required. Number Five. On your weekends or holidays, Mumbai offers a lot of tourist spots. The whole of Fort and CST area, with their British architecture, the Gateway of India, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum, the Taraporewalla aquarium, the Mahalakshmi and Siddhivinayak temples, Marine Drive, Worli Seaface, Bandstand, the beaches, etc. are excellent places to visit. If you want to get away for the weekend, you can go to Lonavala and Khandala for starters, and then graduating to Matheran and finally hiking off to Karjat. Mumbai is also close to Nashik (3 hours by train), Pune (again, 3 hours), Alibagh and Daman which are both approximately 3-4 hours drive away. Shopping wise, Mumbai has a huge number of malls with all major brands represented. For cheaper options, you can go to Bandra which offers good quality at bargain prices. Also, you can get clothes from Fashion Street and the vendors outside Fort area but quality-wise, they may be a bit, ahem, shady. Also, the city has an unmatchable night-life with people moving about even in the wee hours of the morning. It is the safest city in the country, when population and size are taken into consideration. There are many discotheques and pubs for all the party goers. For movie enthusiasts, there are millions (ok, not millions) of multiplexes and a few more single screen theaters. There is also an active theatre scene with regular plays at Prithvi Theatre. Lastly, Mumbai is very fast city, where people move from place to place within minutes. For the people relocating from smaller towns, it might be a bit of a shock for you to see so many people moving as if there were no tomorrow. In all, the city has something to offer for all kinds of people. With its high energy and indomitable spirit, I’m sure you will enjoy your stay here.
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