| |
"Mumbai: The City of Dreams" is a story of this city from prehistoric times to the present woven round events and persons that have helped to shape its character. This work is based on historical research over thirty-five years.
The book tells how the British deliberately developed Mumbai as a centre of commerce and industry by inviting traders and artisans three hundred years ago to come and settle on the island by assuring them religious toleration and by providing them facilities to carry on their calling. Thus Mumbai began to grow as cosmopolitan city with various linguistic, cultural and religious groups living and working together in a common economic Endeavour.
The book also tells about the most absorbing incidents like the quarrel over transfer of Mumbai, arrest of Rama Kamati, invasion of Mumbai, Delopment of Eliza Draper, brawls over brides, adventures of Flora Sassoon, Bawla murder case, witchcraft, hook, swinging, Kite`s flight, red light district, and the blasts that shook Mumbai. It tells about important historic places, landmarks, monuments and street names. It describes about Mumbai`s cultural life including its architecture, theatre, cinema, nautch parties, places of worship of all communication, colourful festivals and fairs.
What really changed the fortunes of Mumbai, as the book explains, was the breaking up to the mountain barriers by the construction of road in 1830 and railways in 1860s across the Sahayadri that had stunted its growth by isolating Mumbai from the rest of the country. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, made Mumbai literally India`s window to the west. With the railways connecting Mumbai to different parts. The entire country, became its hinterland for import-export trade. As Mumbai emerged as India`s trade centre its prosperity surpassed that of other cities luring fortune seekers from all corners of the country to flock to it. Mumbai also became the mother of Indian textile industry and soon the Industrial hub of India.
The book attributes the success of Mumbai to the farsighted entrepreneurship of men like Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy, Premchand Roychand, David Sassoon, Jamsetjee Tata, Nana Shankarshet and others and the efforts of excellent British planners, administrators and engineers. Mumbai literally lures people from almost all walks of life and from all regions of India. They all come share in the "Mumbai Dream". ISBN - 9789350248645
|
| |
Pages : 265
|