Did you know, that the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba is even older than the Gateway of India? Have you ever wondered, why is the Elephanta Caves called so? This World Heritage Day 2024, get ready to explore Mumbai’s heritage like never before. The Colaba area of Mumbai holds a treasure of history with remarkable monuments and structures that narrate the tale of Mumbai’s glorious past. Among them, Mumbai’s Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel stand as majestic landmarks bridging Mumbai’s modern present to its hair-raising history. In this series of Mid-day Xplore, Mid-day's journalist Katyayani Kapoor explores Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with the founder of Mumbai Heritage Tours - Pranav Damle who gives a peek into the untold and rare history of South Mumbai's remarkable heritage honouring the heritage of Mumbai this World Heritage Day.
17 April,2024 09:00 PM IST
Ram Navami 2024 is here and this brings us to a time when devotees of Shri Ram flock to the temples to offer prayers to their beloved deity. Join in the festivities as we visit Mumbai’s most iconic Ram Mandir that inspired the name of Ram Mandir railway station. From its majestic entrance adorned with intricate carvings to the serene sanctum housing the divine idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman, every corner of Ram Mandir echoes with sacred energy and reverence. Between the chaos and traffic of Mumbai’s Goregaon, this temple is an spiritual oasis. this Ramnavami, embark on a spiritual odyssey to Mumbai's beloved Ram Mandir.
16 April,2024 06:00 PM IST
Maha Shivratri 2024 is here for all the Shiva devotees to soak in the divinity of Lord Shiva. While there are numerous Shiva temples in Mumbai for devotees to soak in the religious fervour, Tungareshwar Mandir - dedicated to Lord Shiva is a different experience altogether. Situated on the Tungareshwar Hill, the way to the temple is through the Tungareshwar forest which was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 2003. The way to the temple is through a small trek which is said to take around ½ an hour to reach the temple through the forest. How can you reach there and what awaits you at the top of the Tungareshwar hill? As India celebrates Mahashivratri 2024, here’s everything you need to know about the Tungareshwar temple.
07 March,2024 08:19 PM IST
Maha Shivratri 2024 is here and this brings us to one of the biggest festivals in India devoted to Lord Shiva. There are many Jyotirlingas in India that are considered different manifestations of Shiva. While none of the Jyotirlingas happens to be in Mumbai, two ancient temples within the Mumbai city carry tales of miracles, faith and Shiva’s grace. During Shivratri, Shiva devotees flock to these temples just to catch a glimpse of their beloved Lord Shiva. The Babulnath temple in Mumbai located in Mumbai near Girgaon Chowpatty situated at a little hill is one of those temples. Just a few km away from the Babulnath temple, lies the legendary Walkeshwar temple. The story of the Walkeshwar temple is as endearing as that of the beautiful Banganga Tank next to it. What is the story behind these legendary temples and what’s inside? On the occasion of the Mahashivratri, as you do your Shivratri puja vidhi to worship Lord Shiva, don’t you miss out on visiting these Shiva temples in Mumbai.
06 March,2024 08:38 PM IST
There has been a significant upgrade in Mumbai’s infrastructure in the recent times and a brand new RO-RO ferry survive is the latest addition. A new Vasai-Bhayandar Ro-Ro ferry service will be running on a regular basis from 21st February between Vasai and Bhayandar that is going to cut down the commute time between the two destinations to 15 minutes. This is the second RoRo service in the MMR. The first one operates on the Ferry Wharf and Mandwa route. The newly-inaugurated service will ply eight times a day. The vessel can carry 100 passengers and 33 four-wheelers in one go. Here’s everything you need to know about the service.
20 February,2024 07:40 PM IST
Following an incident of alleged assault against an IndiGo pilot on board, Air India's pilot Captain Zoya Agarwal condemned the IndiGo Slapgate incident and asserted that violence is not the way in any situation."It sends chills down my spine, violence is not the way in any situation...forget about when it happens with the Pilot, a crew member is a professional, the same person is going to be flying all of you. Violence is not just a way," Air India's pilot Captain told ANI. Earlier on January 14, a passenger was seen hitting the pilot of an Indigo flight while he was announcing a delay in departure at Delhi Airport. Following an incident of alleged assault against an IndiGo pilot on board, the accused passenger was declared 'unruly', the airlines said in a statement on January.
17 January,2024 12:34 PM IST
Indian-Maldives Spat: With the ongoing issue where the Maldives has been facing a boycott from India, which is one of its biggest sources of tourism. This started after three of its officials made derogatory remarks against PM Modi over his Lakshadweep visit. Amid the India-Maldives row, foreign tourists are now vouching for India’s top destinations, including tourist attractions, and others. Located 36.6 km northeast of Male, the capital of the Maldives is Dhiffushi Island, which is a part of Kaafu Atoll. The foreign visitors in Maldives shared the experiences of their visits to various Indian states and lauded Indian traditions. With around 1,200 people living on this little island, the main source of economic activity here is tourism and fishing.
13 January,2024 04:23 PM IST
Scenic beach destinations in Lakshadweep have hogged the limelight since PM Narendra Modi’s visit earlier this month. Agatti has one of the most beautiful lagoons in Lakshadweep. A 20-bed tourist complex with all modern amenities has been set up here. Indian Airlines operate flights to Agatti making it one of the most accessible islands in Lakshadweep. Several travel portals are witnessing all-time high searches for the country's beach destinations besides Lakshadweep. Online travel company Make My Trip said in a statement that searches for Indian beach destinations have increased by 350 %. Amid a row triggered by Maldives’ politicians, Indian Govt is taking initiatives to boost tourism infra in Lakshadweep This surge in tourism development signals an exciting phase for Lakshadweep's travel landscape.
11 January,2024 11:07 AM IST
PM Modi’s recent visit to the ‘Land of Corals’ Lakshadweep, has shot India’s beach heaven to the limelight. The Indian PM shared a post in which he could be seen snorkelling, walking on white sand, and resting on a pristine beach. Soon after the post went viral, Lakshadweep became the 10th most searched word on Google in India. Netizens were quick to compare Lakshadweep with Maldives, and they claimed the former could be a better beach vacation spot. However, the surging popularity of the m Indian island has not been taken in good taste by an MP from Maldives. Reacting to a post featuring PM Modi's visit, Maldives MP Zahid Rameez said that the idea of competing with them is "delusional". Taking to X, PPM's Zahid Rameez made a controversial remark saying, "The permanent smell in the rooms will be the biggest downfall" for India. Twitter users were quick to lambast the Maldives politician for his 'distasteful' remarks on Lakshadweep. Maldives may be one of the top tourist spots, but PM Modi’s vision for Lakshadweep has propelled UT's tourism prospects. PM Modi’s focus in Lakshadweep is to uplift the lives of the people through enhanced development. The Central Government plans to make Lakshadweep a major tourist hub like Maldives. PM Modi Govt has infused more than Rs 1,150 crore to enhance Lakshadweep’s infrastructure. Lakshadweep is situated just north of the Maldives, 400 kilometres west of mainland India. For the tourists who wish to explore their adventurer side, Lakshadweep has to be on their list.
07 January,2024 12:04 PM IST
It’s time for Christmas 2023! People around the world wait for this time of the year when their beloved Santa Claus showers them with gifts and joy. Willy Black of Khotachiwadi has played Santa for years in Mumbai’s beloved tourist hotspot Khotachiwadi! But since the last few years, his spirit has been dampened and Khotachiwadi doesn't see his Santa spirit anymore. The reason? One of Mumbai’s most famous tourist hotspots - Khotachiwadi is paying the price for being a heritage marvel. Tourists have been trespassing on residents' households and incidents of theft and accidents have pretty common in once-a-quiet village. Once Willy’s songs attracted crowds from far and wide and he welcomed guests with open arms to a display of his cherished belongings! But today, Willy keeps his doors shut for all that he has got in return is damage to his property! The greatest Christmas present for this Santa of Khotachiwadi would be to see his Khotachiwadi as peaceful, safe and serene as it used to be!
25 December,2023 11:14 AM ISTADVERTISEMENT
