Bombay Is Ideal Stepping Stone to Rest of India

Once a dismal collection of seven mud-flat islands, this teeming and vital city by the Arabian Sea is India’s most affluent metropolis. Its busy port handles almost one-half of the country’s overseas trade.

First noted as a settlement in AD 150, the town was ruled by various Hindu and Muslim dynasties until ceded to the Portuguese in 1534. The Portuguese did virtually nothing here except give the town its name (Bom Bahia: good bay) until they passed it on as a wedding dowry to the British in 1661 when their Catherine of Braganza married England’s Charles II.

The British leased Bombay to the trade-conscious East India Co. for 10 a year. That, along with the influx of Hindu, Parsi and Jewish merchants unwelcomed by the Portuguese, caused a burgeoning of power and wealth that has yet to stop.

Today, Bombay is India’s most Westernized city, and makes a comfortable stepping stone onto the subcontinent for the first-time visitor. Women’s saris are often replaced by smart business suits, international hotels and dining are readily available, and the skyline of modern buildings gives parts of the city a feeling of Manhattan.

Not the least of Bombay’s activities is a wild and woolly movie industry, the world’s largest, which keeps theaters filled with potboilers that make Rambo’s exploits seem decidedly docile.

Getting here: Air India offers service from Los Angeles via New York and London or, going the other way, via Tokyo. Other Pacific carriers, such as Japan Air Lines or Singapore Airlines, have a home-country stop, as do European carriers. Flying time is roughly the same whether going East with European stop or West with a Pacific stop. It’s a 22-mile jaunt from the airport into town.

How long/how much? Two days for the sights, including half a day to and from the nearby island of Elephanta. Bombay is India’s most expensive city, but it’s still a relative bargain when compared to other major world cities.

A few fast facts: India’s rupee recently sold for about 15 to the dollar, or .066 each. Visit any time of year except June through September, when the monsoons arrive. Plan on plenty of heat in other months. Local air isn’t the most pristine, thanks to unbelievable traffic. And steer clear of tap water at all times.

Getting settled in: The Ambassador (Vir Nariman Road, Churchgate; $78 double) is still our favorite, with air conditioning and good-size bedrooms with nice furnishings and fabrics, Indian paintings, TV and, as in most hotels here, a mini-bar with distilled water.

The Ambassador still has a feeling of Britain’s raj days, with the lobby an ornate affair featuring paneled ceiling, crystal chandeliers and framed Kashmiri crewelwork hanging on the walls. Plenty of good restaurants nearby in this pleasant part of town. A rooftop dining room serves Indian, Chinese and Western cuisine.

Hotel President (90 Cuffe Parade; $92) is a member of the respected Taj Group, with a cool and contemporary marble lobby, and pleasant bedrooms with red roses waiting. Some rooms have marvelous views of the water and the bayside Gateway of India monument. There are also a pool, a health club, yoga classes and attractive Indian, Italian and Thai restaurants.

Leela Kempinski (Sahar, near airport; $106) is a real sparkler of beige and pink marble, with beautiful fountains and greenery, and a gorgeous pool. Luxurious mauve bedrooms have king-size beds and every possible amenity.

Regional food and drink: Indian food is about equally divided into vegetarian and non-vegetarian, both of which can be spicy. While the northern India Moghlai cuisine leans on more meat from the tandoori (clay oven), the south tends to heat up its offerings with generous doses of spices. Seafood from the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean is readily available in most parts of the country.

Bombay will serve you a bit of everything, plus a few specialties of its own. Try the pomfret, an Arabian Sea flounder-type fish that is delicious. Bombay duck, another fish, may be a bit strong for your taste. But giant prawn and local lobster should be delightful.

Indian beer (Kingfisher and Golden Eagle) are perfect partners for the hearty food, while Limca (a lemon pop) and Thums Up cola will also rescue an overheated palate.

Good dining: Khyber (145 Mahatma Gandhi Road) had burned since our last visit, but has risen from its charred cinders to become what is surely the town’s most charming restaurant. It took three years and painstaking effort to create a masterpiece of Northwest Frontier-Mogul-Hindu styles, with murals, artifacts, paintings, archways, bas-reliefs and furnishings all contributing to the feeling of a rustic art gallery.

The menu offers eight biryanis (rice dishes), even more tandooris, pomfret masala , prawn kebabs and lots of curries. The most pleasant surprise is that nothing costs more than $6.

Mela (Phirki Corner, Worli) means “festival” or “fair,” and this place is pure fantasy. A merry-go-round bar with hand-carved horses near the entrance, from where a small stream wanders through several vibrantly colored rooms to a waterfall.

One room has a hot-air balloon hanging from the ceiling, others have alcoves with astrologers, sketch artists and magicians to entertain guests. There’s a tandoori counter here that serves all the meat, chicken or seafood barbecue you can eat for $10, including side dishes.

Jewel of India (Nehru Center, Annie Besant Road) has a sophisticated style, stained-glass ceiling and handsome banquettes, with sparkling white table linen and centerpieces of fresh flowers. A noon buffet spreads 40 selections of Indian food for $7. An extensive a la carte menu also is available.

Going first-class: Oberoi Towers (Nariman Point; $119 double) is on Marine Drive, also known as The Queen’s Necklace for its string of lights that sparkle at night as they curve around Back Bay. The Oberoi’s lobby is grand, bedrooms very comfortable. Oberoi Towers and its adjoining new addition offer a choice of 10 restaurants and bars, including a beautiful Moghul Room with superb Indian food and entertainment.

Taj Mahal (Apollo Bunder; $119-$125) is made up of the 19th-Century Taj Mahal and a high-rise Taj Mahal Inter-Continental. The old Taj is a huge Italianate version of the Indian style, while the latter has a lovely white marble lobby made for people watching.

On your own: Dive right into the bustling life of Bombay with a visit to Victoria Terminus, the enormous Italian Gothic train station that saw its first engine leave in 1853. Nearby is turbulent Crawford Market with its maze of food and shopping stalls that stretch on endlessly and never seem to quiet down.

Visit the Gandhi Memorial, a friend’s home where Gandhi often lived and worked. His simple room still contains the spinning wheel that he used to make thread for his clothing, along with copies of the Bible, Koran and Bhagavad Gita beside the simple writing desk on the floor. Then stroll Chowpatty Beach, where Gandhi and others made fervent speeches for India’s independence in 1947.

A half-day outing to Elephanta Island, with its ancient temples and carvings to the god Shiva, is a must. And try to visit one of the city beaches where the Kolis keep their boats. This race of fisherfolk was here when the Portuguese were ceded the town in 1534, and they still are responsible for most of the city’s seafood.

For more information: call the Government of India Tourist Office at (213) 380-8855, or write to 3550 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 204, Los Angeles 90010.