CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION TOURISM MOTIVATION OF TOURISM 2. TOUR PACKAGES TYPE OF TOUR PACKAGES ITENRARY 3. MUMBAI HISTORY OF MUMBAI GEOGRAPHY OF MUMBAI CLIMATE CULTURE PEOPLE RELIGION LANGUAGE CUISINE FAMOUS FESTIVALS IN MUMBAI HOW TO REACH IN MUMBAI

4. TOURIST ATTRACTION IN MUMBAI ESSEL WORLD NARIMAN POINT HAJI ALI DARGAH SIDDHIVINAYAK MANDIR JUHU BEACH GATEWAY OF INDIA ELEPHANTA CAVE ELEPHANTAS CAVES FERRY

5. EXEPRIENCES 6. CONCLUTION 7. REFRENCE

INTRODUCTION
TOURISM
Tourism is rapidly growing Industry around the world . In the new millennium, the human residents or the mother earth have Iansalible urge for Travelling or undertaking tour of various type . People wants to visit unknown places interact with new races and have experions which were basically out of his reaches . Travelling and exploring the world is a natural tadancy of all human being. Tourism is drived from the latin word tornos, which is ferther drived from the word tour . It is from the word tornos that the concept of circular tour or package tour came into being as tornos means circular wheel. According to A.J. burkart , tourism denotes the short term movement of people to destination , out side the place where they normally live and work. Ministry of tourism in its document, national ministry of tourism created for the government of India state,tourism is a composit industry . It consist of various segment , which can produce a wide range of product and services . according to huge committee, A tourist is a person visiting a country other then that in which he usually resides . In order to fulfill the criteria of tourism . A tour must consist of the following 3 elements : The tour should be temporary . It should be voluntary. It should not have any remunerative purpose.

TOURISM MOTIVATION
PHYSIOLOGICAL MOTIVATION : Such motivators are
related to the health and physical well being of the individual .every person has some needs , which relate to his physiological comfort. A youngster may think that he would gain health if he goes to a hill station . An old person may like to travel to a beach resort and try to gain health there . Benefits always accrue from the sun , fresh air , green vegetation , mountains, steam , cold water, medicated water springs, curative baths, massage and other natural spots or activities . The thai massage therapy is the unique selling preposition of Thailand. Tourists, especially those who are health conscious, visit such places and try to improve their health.

SOCIETAL MOTIVATION: Many expert on the subject of

tourism have also called them Interpersonal motivations. People want to visit their relatives , Friends or acquaintances in other countries or in the country or in the country of their residence. Some people are very gregarious by nature. They live to interact with their friends , kith and kin.

RELIGIOUS MOTIVATION: Man has traveled over long

distances to appease the gods and goddesses he revers and odores . Religious tours or pilgrimages tours , as these are popularly called , are conducted in all the parts of the world . the Muslims complete the Haj at Mecca sharif and The hindus undertake the char dham yatra at four prominent religious shrines. Further sikh travel to harminder sahib (amritsar), Every religious tour is almost always coupled with visits to such places as are quite near the religious places visited by Pilgrims. They are keen to learn more about the history of their religion.

RURAL MOTIVATION :In this concept tourist are taken

to such rural areas which are fresh , untouched by

materiasam are very natural . They visit feel alone with the villagers and become rural folk for some days . e.g. Many foreigners lives in villages of U.P. for months together.

AGRICULTURAL

MOTIVATION : In this type of

tourism those tourist are Interested who belongs to the field of Agriculture and farm management . The tourist could be students of Agriculture engineering farm management etc.

RELAXATION, GET AWAY, RECREATION AND REST MOTIVATORS: Some people get fed up of the
routines of everyday life. They do not want to go their offers or factories. They look forward to having short breaks. The stress of urbanization, family conflicts, headache of business and societal pressures wreak havoc on the minds of many people. They plan to leave their usual places of work and undertake tours of short periods. But they cannot remain away from their offices or factories for long periods of time . so, they choose weekends to relax and rejuvenate their bodies and minds. It is there fore , obvious that they cannot go far away from their usual place of work. Such excursions can be called get away Tours. But tours carried out for longer duration to be called relaxation tour or recreation activities.

ADVENTURE MOTIVATORS: New adventure have

been discovered or invented by the innovative travel operators and resort ownera. Some activities in which is Bungee jumping, White water rafting, Jungle safari, Scuba diving,Snuba diving,water surfing,Wind surfing etc.Most of the keen age group of 15-55 yrs are keen to take up trips for the purpose of enjoying the adventure. The type of the adventures undertaken by the tourist vary.

CULTURAL

Culture is the chief distinguishing feature of any society or country. Many people are interested in learning about the new cultures and

MOTIVATORS:

cultural influences of other countries and societies. So, they travel to those countries or interact with those societies. Many people are impressed by the folk dances, folk tales and art form of other societies. So, they travel to those places where they can interact with these societies These exchanges of fulfill of tourist as will as for the targeted societies or nation .

SPORTS MOTIVATORS: Many young people like to play

games and indulge in various activities. Some of them enjoy and take up tours the thrill of watching national and international sports competition.eg. European soccer championship is a business of billions of Dollars nowadays. That is because the residents of Europe visit the venus of this competition to encourage the team and they support or revere. The tourism industry of the host nation also gets a big boost due to the entry of a large number of soccer fans (into that nation). SPACIAL INTREST MOTIVATION: Some tourist are keen to know the history of the region visited by them whereas others may be keen to know the agrological finding of the sight. The tour operator of the send these group to such places which fascinates the members of such groups.

TOUR PACKAGE

Package tour means the Basket of services which include all tourist product, Popularly known as a package tour or simply the word `tour`in the travel and tourism industry refers either to a package tour escorted and not escorted by the tourist guide. A package tour is a pre arrangement, pre paid trip that combines two or more travel component like airfare, airport transfer, accommodation and other services. Package tour does nat include the meals except those specifically mentioned in the itineraries all items of a personal nature and gratuities to maids and waiters except meal included in tour.

TYPE OF PACKAGE TOUR

A travel agency /tour operator deals with a variety of `tour package`, catering to the diverse needs of tourist such as adventure , beach, architecture, cultural, business, conference incentive tour, ayurvadic packages, special interest, cruise tour, group tour, educational tour, monuments wildlife etc. there are broadly classified into four categories.

INDEPENDENT

Independent package tour are prepared/formulated for those tourist who want to travel independently. The components of such tours are air travel, air transfer, accommodation. Sightseeing, entertainment and other travel services. This type of tour provide the tourist considerable freedom to plan the activities according to their own choice. An independent tour may or may not be an all inclusive tour . Tour price varies depending upon the type of air travel, air transfer, accommodation and id inclusive of other tour components. Today several Indian and foreign travel agencies offers independent tours to inbound and outbound tourist.

PACKAGE

TOURS:

ESCORTED TOUR: When an agency includes the services

of a well educated and trained tour manager in its package tour it is called on escorted tour. Basically escorted tour are meant for those travellers who are planning to visit foreign country for the first time . The escorts responsibilities and duties are to provide comprehensive information and assistance to the group, at the origin, reroute the destination place. The excursion tours are the examples of escorted tours.

HOSTED TOUR:A hosted means when an agency utilizes

the services of another agency at a particular destination. Suppose a group of French tourist is coming to India. When the group arrive in india(Delhi), they are greeted at airport by TCI, which assists them in clearing their baggage and transfers them to the hotel. Their tourist host is available to offer device and information about the local attraction and entertainment. Hosted tour provides the tourist maximum level of pre-arranged and personalized services.

INCENTIVE TOUR: It is motivational programme or fully

paid holiday which is given to the employees by the enterprises as reward. Mostly in medium and large scale companies and usually distant destinations to spur them in maintaining their tracks record, to increase output, improve images and moreover to earn the long period loyalty of the employees.

ITINERARY

SEVEN DAYS TRIP OF MUMBAI

02/1/2012- Leave amritsar by bus for jallendher at morning . Arrive jallendher and transfer to the platform to board express at 13:50 hrs. overnight in train. 03/1/2012- arrive ahmedabad 03:00hrs and transfer to the platform to broad 12268 DURONTO express for Mumbai at 23:45 hrs . overnight in the train. 04/1/2012- Arrive Mumbai at 6:15 hrs and transfer to the hotel after lunch visit nariman point , Marine drive , Taraporewala fish Aquarium overnight in the hotel. 05/1/2012- After breakfast leave for sightseeing visit essel world. Evening free for shopping then lunch and dinner will be served. Overnight stay at Mumbai(optional tickets for essel world) . 06/1/2012- After breakfast full day in Mumbai . leave Mumbai to ahmedabad by express. Train at night . overnight in train. 07/1/2012- Arrive ahmedabad and transfer to the platform to board express for jallandher to connecting train overnight in the train. 08/1/2012- Arrive jallendher at 12:45 hrs and transfer to the bus for amritsar. Arrive amritsar in evening.

MUMBAI

Mumbai formerly known as Bombay is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world.Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city. Mumbai is also the richest city in India . during the 19th century. It became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century. When India became independent in 1947, the city was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as capital. The city was renamed Mumbai in 1996. Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India, it is also one of the world's top 10 centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow, generating 5% of India's GDP,and accounting for 25% of industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India The city also houses India's Hindi (Bollywood) and Marathi film and television industry. Mumbai's business opportunities, as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living, attract migrants from all over India and, in turn, make the city a potpourri of many communities and cultures.

HISTORY OF MUMBAI
The history and origin of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) goes like this. Bombay was initially a group of seven islands on the Konkan coastline, occupied by Koli fishermen. Until Sultan Muhamed Begada seized the islands, Bombay was inhabited by the Hindus. Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese traveler, was the first person to explore the sea-route to Bombay. The discovery led to repeated attacks by the Portuguese, who eventually captured the islands in 1534. The Portuguese constructed a parish, several forts and churches, but couldn't realize any value out of them. In 1661, these islands were gifted to Charles II of England, in the dowry of Catherine de Braganza, who was the sister of the Portuguese King. Finding no use of the islands, Charles II leased them to the East India Company in 1668. This trading company took great advantage of the strategic location of the islands and built the docks, trading posts and the

fort

that

would

make

the

switchboard

of

the

city.

Before long, Bombay developed into an important trading post. Reclamation was started and Gerald Aungier, the Governor persuaded businessmen from all parts of the country to come and settle in Bombay. He was titled the 'Father of Bombay' seeing that during his time, Bombay developed into a major commercial centre. The booming port attracted the capitalist communities like the Parsis, Gujaratis and Marwaris, who established trading companies and factories. In 1708, Bombay became the headquarters of the East India Company. During the 18th century, the population considerably increased and basic amenities were introduced to the city. Bombay saw construction of various buildings, monuments, railway stations, offices, banks etc in the 19th century. By the year 1862, the seven islands were coupled together to figure one expanse. With the advent of the Great Indian Peninsular Railways, the city received enhanced means of communication. As soon as the Suez Canal was opened in 1869, Bombay flourished as an international port and reinforced itself as the chief commercial and industrial center in India. It was declared the capital of Bombay state, once India became independent in 1947. In 1960, Maharashtra, the state, came into

GEOGRAPHY OF MUMBAI
Mumbai lies on India's west coast in the state of Maharashtra facing the Arabian sea. The city occupies an area of 440 sq km. One fourth of the city lies below sea level. The city is covered by two ridges of low hills on Colaba's east and west forming a barrier of sorts from the open sea .The other ridge ends up at Malabar Hill 180ft above sea level, which is also Mumbai's highest point. In between these two ridges directly north of Colaba lies the bustling area of fort. The buildings here are of British era and built in Gothic style. The two main stations VT (now known as CST) and Churchgate, the India Government Mint, the Reserve Bank, the General Post Office, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Tourist office, private offices, banks etc.are all located here.

At the southern end is also Nariman Point, the land was reclaimed from the sea to house the modern business center of Mumbai. Considered by many as "Manhattan" it has many high rise office buildings. To the north of the city are the two Airports, the International, the other Domestic.
Mumbai's island location has constrained its ability to spread and grow over a wide area. Consequently high rise skyscrapers dominated the skyline until the city reached a saturated point. The idea of a twin city was mooted by the town planners. New Bombay lies to the north east of Bombay and covers an area of 345 sq km.

CLIMATE

Climate of Mumbai is fluctuating one as it is a coastal area and the weather is highly influenced by the presence of Arabian Sea. Generally May is the hottest month of the year and the average temperature remains between 32C40C. January is the coldest month in Mumbai and the average temperature remains about 18OC. The proximal distance to the sea lends a humid effect to the weather in Mumbai throughout the year. Summers season in Mumbai is from April to Mid June followed by monsoon from Mid June to Mid September. The rain in Mumbai is extremely heavy and the annual rainfall of Mumbai is around 200cm. Winter in Mumbai lasts from November to February and during this season the weather of Mumbai is really pleasant. During the winters the temperature varies in between 15250 C and all these climatic features of Mumbai makes it different from other Indian cities. The best time to visit Mumbai is in the winters as the city houses numerous tourist attraction along with the cultural highlights. Mumbai is the significant metropolitan city of India and has vibrant mix of colors and shades throughout the year.

CULTURE
The culture of any place is always determined from its people, religion, language, cuisine and festivals. Mumbai has an assortment of people from various communities and subsequently they follow different religions. Since the metropolitan is observing modern trends, here people enjoy participating in all festivals irrespective of caste, creed and color. Another reason could be the influence of the Bollywood, where a potpourri of multi-ethnic culture is observed. The cultural heritage of Bombay presents a combination of old and new. The people of the 'Film City of India' seek to follow the hip-hop lifestyle of the celebrities residing here. The 'bindaas' or carefree approach of the Mumbaikars comes alive in their dialect of Mumbaiya Hindi too. Read on to know more about the culture of the Mumbai city of India.

PEOPLE

Mumbaikar or Bombayite is the term used for the inhabitants of Mumbai. Similar to the people in other parts of India, Mumbaikars are lively people, who live life to its fullest. Mumbai has a transfusion of various communities, following different religions and customs.

RELIGIONS
Mumbaikars tend to get busy in their demanding schedules of life, but when it comes to religion, people appear to be highly devout. Religion plays an important role in the lives of people in Mumbai. Like any other part of India, Hinduism is the major religion observed by most of the residents of Bombay.

LANGUAGES
Marathi is recognized as the official language of the Mumbai city of India. It is the most widely spoken language in the city. Apart from Marathi, there are many other languages that are spoken and understood in Bombay. Mumbaiya or Bambaiya Hindi is the slang language of Mumbaikars.

CUISINE
Food simply means scrumptious dishes in Mumbai. The Chaupati Beach always reminds one of the lip-smacking 'Bhel Puri', a fast-food made of puffed rice, with lots of chillies, sauces and chopped onions. A typical Bombay platter consists of curries, rice, curd, chapattis, vegetable, salad, sweets etc.

FESTIVELS

The festivals and fairs that are celebrated in Mumbai/Bombay city reflect the multicultural and multiethnic nature of the city. Besides that the Pan Indian festivals like Holi, Diwali, Christmas and Ganesh Chaturthi, there are many other festivals that are quite unique to the Mumbai city. From Diwali to Pateti to Mount Mary's Feast to Id-ul-Fitr, the Mumbai city celebrates them all with equal fervor and gaiety. Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi is among the most auspicious festivals celebrated in Maharashtra during August and September. For Mumbai, this ten days festival is an absolute extravaganza of devotion fused with full throttle fun and camaraderie. Streets bustling with devotees and mammoth size pandals housing the imposing Lord Ganesh, the pot bellied elephant God, Mumbai is enamored in excitement with enthusiasm rife in all corners. Elephanta Festival Elephanta is a small island 10kms away from Mumbai harbor that is another of the hot tourist destination around Mumbai. Especially popular among the culture lovers and all those interested in pristine cave architecture and exotic festivals. Banganga Festival Perched on Malabar Hill, Banganga tank is housed in the precincts of ancient the Walkeshwar temple. This temple was built by the kings of Silhara dynasty who ruled Bombay from 9th to 13th Century. It was during their reign that Banganga tank was built and was renovated in 1715 by the donation made by Rama Kamath, Bombay's rich businessman and philanthropist. Mt. Mary Festival Mt. Mary Church is among the most prominent churches in Mumbai, with devotees flocking here from all faith. Situated in West Bandra past Hill Road the Basilica of our Lady of

Mount Mary was built by the Portuguese in 1640. Mary Church is famous for the kind rituals that reinforce the power of prayers. The Marathi speaking communities refer Mother Mary as Math Mauli. Kala Ghoda Festival Kala Ghoda festival is an exhibition of a world of arts that encapsulates works of artistes in the fields of music, dance, theater, film and all the genres of art that make for the vibrantly rich culture of Mumbai.

HOW TO REACH MUMBAI

Mumbai, the erstwhile Bombay, is the largest city and the financial hub of India. Since it a major metropolis, it has the best national and international connections. Getting to the Island City is easy because it is well-connected by means of air, road, rail as well as water. The most far-reaching network of roads and rails hook up this city with all the nook and corners of the country. Moreover, it is connected with almost all the major cities round the world. Though limited to some places, traveling to the Bollywood city by boat or cruise is another option. Read further to know how to reach Mumbai. By Air Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the major airdrome that receives both domestic and international traffic to the city. Almost all the airlines operate flights to and from Mumbai. It is the busiest airport of the country, that handles at least 45 landings and take-offs per hour. It has two domestic and two international terminals, which are connected by shuttle services. By Rail Mumbai boasts of an extensive network of rail tracks, which connects the city with all parts of the nation. It houses the headquarters of Central Railways and Western Railways. Besides Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal - the major one, there are other railway stations at Bombay Central, Churchgate, Dadar and Kurla. One can board trains from here to any place across the country.

By Road The National Highways No. 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 17 pass through the city, making it accessible from all parts of the country. Besides these National Highways, the Mumbai-Pune expressway traverses through the city. Many long distance buses leave from the State Transport Terminal, which is located opposite Mumbai's Central Railway Station. Many deluxe buses connect Mumbai with all tourist destinations within and outside the state. One can always hire car to move around the city and its suburbs. By Boat One amongst the best natural harbors in the world, Mumbai port handles 50% of the passenger traffic and most of the cargo of the country. Above all, it serves as an important base for the Navy. One can reach close-by islands and beaches by getting in ferries that start from Ferry Wharf. Many travel companies provide sea-cruises to Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, etc.

TOURIST ATTRACTION IN MUMBAI ESSEL WORLD

Famed to be India's largest amusement park & Asia's theme water park - Essel World is every kid & adults dream come true. Ideal for a day outing with your office team or friends & family alike - the park has something in store for everyone visiting. Located at the coastal village of Gorai, the park spans a sprawling 64 acres which have both exciting dry rides & fun water rides too. Attracting over 1.8 million visitors each year, this is by far one of the most fun things you can do while at Mumbai.

NARIMAN POINT

Location:

On Southern tip of Marine Drive in South Mumbai Specialty: Home to India's premier business houses Nearby Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Attractions: Churchgate Best Time to Visit: October to March

Nariman Point is Mumbai's major business district. It is named after Khusheed Framji Nariman, a visionary Parsi, who proposed to reclaim the land from the sea in the year 1940. The region was developed with steely architectural guts filling in the shallows of the Arabian Sea. Dumping the debris in the shallows a solid platform was built with reinforced cement and imported steel, setting up of what exists today in the form of Nariman Point. Nariman Point today is a bustling commercial hub with the offices of almost all corporate and industrial houses. The place is dotted with several high-rise building that replicate the stunning aura of Manhattan look in India. You can find all the airline offices, most of the consulates and high commission of various countries here. Nariman Point also is home to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Vidhan sabha.

HAJI ALI DARGAH

The Haji Ali Dargah ( ) is a mosque and tomb in the Mahim Bay ofMumbai that can be reached by a narrow causeway only at low tide. A handsome example of Indian Islamic architecture, associated with legends about doomed lovers, the dargah contains the tomb of Haji Ali. History The Haji Ali Dargah was built by a wealthy Muslim merchant and saint named Haji Ali who renounced all his wordly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The dargah was built in 1431. Legend has it that Haji Ali died on his way to Mecca and his body, in its casket, floated back to Mumbai; however, some believe that Haji Ali drowned where the dargah stands today.

Today, most of the structure is corroded and the Dargah Trust is awaiting permission from the Central Government to raze the structure and rebuild it with Makrana marble, the same marble used to build the Taj Mahal. It was last repaired in the 1960s, but civil engineers say the structure is beyond further repair.

SIDDHIVINAYAK MANDIR

Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Mandir is the most popular & significant places of worship of Shree Ganesh in India.Shree Siddhivinayak Temple of Mumbai located in Prabhadevi is counted amongst the most venerated temples of India. It is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the Elephant God, and is situated in the Prabhadevi locality of the city. The credit for the construction

of the temple goes to Vithu and Deubai Patil. Built in the year 1801, Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is visited by people belonging to almost all the sects of the society. The temple comprises of a small mandapam (hall), where the idol of Siddhi Vinayak (Lord Ganesha) has been enshrined. Boasting of exquisite architecture, the sanctum sanctorum has been fitted with wooden doors that have been meticulously carved with the images of the Ashtavinayaka (the eight manifestations of Lord Ganesha). Its inner roof has been beautifully adorned with gold plating. Inside the sanctum is placed the central statue of Lord Ganesha. The idol portrays the Lord with four arms, carrying a lotus, an axe, modakas (sweet dumplings) and a garland of beads, respectively. The upper floors of Shree Siddhi Vinayak Temple of Bombay comprises of the residential quarters of its priests. Though the temple remains crowded throughout the week, it receives exceptional rush on Tuesdays. Siddhivinayak or Lord Ganesha holds a very important position in the Hindu mythology. It is believed that any new work, new place or new possession will prosper if one prays to the lord before starting or using it. This is one of the main reasons why renowned people, including politicians and celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar and Bal Thackeray, regularly visit the temple. One of the narrow lanes that lead to the premises of the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple is known as the 'Phool Gali'. The street remains dotted with a large number of stalls, where one can find shopkeepers selling tulsi flower garlands, coconuts, sweets, etc - to be offered to the Lord. The temple witnesses exceptionally large rush of devotees, during Angaraki and Sankashti Chaturti. Whenever you happen to visit Mumbai, make sure to pay a visit to this amazing shrine.

JUHU BEACH

Juhu Beach is a beautiful beach, which gets strokes of turquoise waves day and night. Located in the central suburb of Mumbai, this coastline acts as a coolant to your worries and tensions. One can access this unruffled beach from Vile Parle, Santa Cruz and Andheri as well. It's the pre-eminent place to view spectacular sunsets, when the ceaseless horizon appears splendidly tinted in shades of red and orange. This lovely sight of the sun descending into the vast Arabian Sea, presents an amazing vista that is hard to forget. As the Sun goes down, Juhu Beach cloaks in the feel of fun-fair, where local food stalls and ferry riders' horde the area. Like Chowpatty Beach, it is a popular place to spend time in the evenings and enjoy the appetizing local snacks of Mumbai. You can nibble the spicy Bhel Puri or gobble the appetizing Pani Puri at the local kiosks out here. Pav Bhaji could be another delicacy that you would love to eat again and again. On weekends, it become an extravaganza in presence of vendors, toy sellers, horse and donkey rides, dancing monkeys, acrobats and cricket matches.

Juhu Beach is frequently visited by score of people round the year. It has been picturized in many movies of the Bollywood, but it seems actors have liked this place so much that they have chosen it as their abode. Many a hotels and lavish restaurants have cropped up on its southern side. To its north, there lies the Versova Beach, renowned for its fishing community. Not advisable for swimming and sunbathing, Juhu Beach is a perfect place to enjoy the tasty local food and admire the mesmerizing sunsets.

GATEWAY OF INDIA

Gateway of India is an impressive monument constructed to commemorate the visit of King George V & Queen Mary to the then "Bombay" in Dec 1911. It is placed perfectly in South Mumbai & aptly called the Gateway of India. Built as a mammoth arch at a mighty height of 26 meters and has a inner width of 15 meters - its presence is symbolic to the city. The monument is an representation of the Indo-Saracen architectural style, with many features of the 16th century Muslim architectural

excellence. This monument almost stands as an identity of the city flanked by the ocean on one side & the monumental Taj Hotel to the other. Boat facilities are available in the nearby water front and tourists can enjoy the fantastic boat ride from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. ELEPHANTA CAVES

The Elephanta Island is the site of the magnificent Elephanta caves, containing beautiful carvings, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. These caves are located at a distance of 11-km from Mumbai and are now designated as a UNESCO World HeritageSite. The island of Elephanta, being a commercial, military and religious center for centuries has traces of early Buddhist culture.

The Elephanta caves are thought to date back to the Silhara kings belonging to the period between 9th - 12th centuries. Legends and history suggest that the great warrior prince of Chalukya dynasty Pulkesin ll, raised the shrine to celebrate his victory. Some historians also suggest that these caves were built by the Kalchuri King Krishnaraja in 6th century AD. The entire cave temple complex covers an area of about 60, 000 square feet. The World of Lord Shiva, Elephanta is the place where the main events in the mythology of Lord Shiva are depicted most powerfully, consistently and exclusively. At Ellora though other Gods appear on the panel with Shiva, but at Elephanta there is nothing but Shiva. According to Hindu Mythology three Gods govern their world : Brahma -- the creator, Vishnu -- the Preserver and Maheshwara -- the Destroyer. Elephanta has a story that there was a pillar whose end could not be found. Even the Gods failed to determine the length of the pillar. The temples in the Elephanta caves and the carvings on the walls show Shiva in different moods and shapes, Lord Shiva practicing Yoga, Lord Shiva meditating with snakes coiled around his neck, and at places Shiva is in the company of his wife, Parvati. Panel 6 of the caves represents the marriage of Shiva with Parvati with the rites being performed by Brahma and scores of other Gods attending the marriage. Panel 5 of the cave describes the coming of Ganga from heaven to Earth. As the great force of Ganga might have destroyed the Earth, she lands in the hair locks of Shiva who then gently releases her. The wise and righteous Lord before whom the forces of evil and ignorance, flee, and are terrified into submission is carved on the 7th panel. Similarly other wall panels narrate the story of Lord Shiva. On the western end is the sanctuary of Linga denoting the essence of creative power, in which Lord Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of Fertility and Procreation. The Monasteries of Ajanta lead us directly to Elephanta. It appears that the same families of craftsmen and sculptors who were working on the Kailasa temple of Ellora and adjoining Buddhist caves at Ellora were employed at Elephanta. An exquisite ensample of rock-cut artistry, can be found here. No doubt the cave was the creation of an unknown genius, a master architect, who having thoroughly absorbed and assimilated the magnificent contribution of his predecessors in the dual traditions of the independent free standing sculpture and rock-cut architecture, produced a monument which introduced a whole new world of form, quite distinct from any previous achievement.

The sculptors carved out of solid basalt rock, a representation of the heavenly mountain residence of Lord Shiva. Opening out from three sides, the temple lets in light from many angles making the sculptures seem to move with the changing angles of light. The temple plan is so symmetric with important focal points worked out in a geometric Mandala (the design that represents the energy field). The pillars inside the cave give an impression that these pillars support the roof. Again the cross beams on the roof makes the visitor feel there is a ceiling of the caves. The pillars have been deliberately kept simple as to attract the attention towards the exquisite carvings on the panels, which arenine in number. There are three openings to the caves, which allows light to enter from various angles in different seasons giving an expression that the images are moving with transition of light.

ELEPHANTA CAVES FERRY

Elephanta Caves are situated some 10 kms from Mumbai city on an island. It has to be accessed by a boat in order to reach it. The Portuguese named the island Elephanta as they had found a big stone elephant lying there initially. The elephant is now at Victoria Gardens in Mumbai. The caves lie on a hillock. These caves are rock-cut caves, built in the 8th century and are beautifully sculpted. Elephanta Caves are also famous for its temple, which is believed to have healing powers in it. The Elephanta Caves are the focal point of Gharapuri Island, which was renamed the Elephanta Island by the Portuguese, located in the Mumbai. The rock-cut temple complex covers an area of 60,000 sq ft consisting of a main chamber, 2 lateral ones, courtyards and subsidiary shrines. The site of these magnificent caves contained beautiful reliefs, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu god Shiva. The caves are hewn from solid rock.[4] The temple complex is said to be the abode of Shiva. How to Reach The Elephanta Island can be reached only by boat. Ferry rides are available from the Gateway of India and it takes just 15 minutes to reach the Elephanta Island. Duration: 4 5 Hrs. Program: - Pick up from hotel and drive to Gateway of India to take catamaran cruise to Elephanta caves. Visit Elephanta caves. Later return to Gateway of India by catamaran cruise than transfer to you hotel.

EXPERIENCE It was a great experience for me . I have never expected that I would get an opportunity to visit such a nice place. It was 7 days trip but it cannot be forgotten in may whole life . Our trip was started in 2 jan 2012 from amritsar at 9:30 am. From amritsar then we went jalandher and caught the train for Ahamdabad. When we reached there and we went for shopping and bought some memorable things which still I kept that things and also kept some beautiful souvenirs form Mumbai . The trip was so unique and un forgettable for me . Mumbai is very big and commercial city of India. There are many places for visit like essel world , Nariman point, Siddhivinayak mandir , haji ali etc. I enjoyed a lot this trip with my friends . It is not amongst the most beautiful cities of India. It is not even a place where life is relaxed, yet Mumbai attracts people like no other city of India. Mumbai is both the commercial and entertainment hub of India. It is the dream city to which people come from all parts of the country to fulfill their dreams of becoming successful, famous and rich. The Gateway of India and took a ride in the ferry. The ferry, we thought, would take us to the famous Elephanta caves. I got first experience on ferry . and I enjoyed to much. We also visit juhu beach . Juhu was looking beautiful in the evening. The surrounding was vibrant - the foodsstalls were full, the vendors were going around showcasing their items and the photographer were busy spotting and clicking tourists. We also played in water, felt the sand slipping from below our feet and got ourselves, Haji Ali, Marine Drive followed and made me more than happy. Shopping was next on our list. We visited both small and big shopping centres in close vicinity and bought lots of items. The prices were reasonable and the variety, good. I really had to suppress my laughter everytime the salesman described his clothes as mast. The statement invariably went like this, ekdum mast lag raha madam, le

lijiye. It was very difficult for me stop my laughter initially and quiet a few times, I actually burst out right there leaving them a bit embarrassed sometimes. I never forgot these days which were I spent with my friends. CONCLUTION the mumbai trip was very unique and unforgettable for me .I never forgot those days which are I spent in this trip . I enjoyed a lot this trip with my friends . from the education point of view I got a lot of knowledge of Mumbai . I learnt allot from the trip. I come to know how to travel and manage oveselves in a new place there is lots of traffic in a mumbai but then also people are very happy with there fast life If i will get a chance i will surely go to mumbai again .