History of Mumbai –
In a (WAL)nut shell :
Anyone living today in Mumbai knows Colaba, Mazagaon, Mumba Devi, Worli, Parel and Mahim, all local places in Mumbai. It is hard to believe today that less than 300 years ago all these places were independent islands – part of an archipelago.
Salsette island, on which Mumbai is supposed to be located now was another group of 66 villages ( Shashti ) up north.
There were seven island by these same names, which were merged together in a huge reclamation exercise by the British in late 18th to mid 19th centuries.
This area is supposedly inhabited since stone age. They were under Magadh Empire of Ashok. More then 100 Buddhist caves are found in the region , dating 2nd century B.C.
Next recorded period is 9th century when the region came under Silhaara Dynasty. The last known Hindu King was Raja Bhim Dev, who had his capital in Mahikavati ( Mahim and Prabhadevi).
In 14th century it passed under the Sultan Of Gujrat. . Early 15th Century, Portuguese took control of the area.
The funny thing is that during all these time the area was really neglected. The islands were marshy, and full of mangroves, with probably nasty living conditions. We only hear about Mahim, the north most island, which was developed by Raja Bhim Singh. He had it developed as a port and trading station. Up north, probably part of Shashti villages, were already running ports of Vasai, and Sopara ( Nala Sopara) . Surat was also a big trading station and port. But no attention seems to have been paid to the other 6 islands . they were mostly used by Koli fishermen on their deep sea voyages.
These seven islands were given by the Portuguese as a dowry to Charles II of England when he married their princess Infanta Catherine Braganza in 1661. They were probably thought of low value as other more profitable and inhabited places were not so given.
British did not mind. They were hungry for land in India to start a real colony as till then East India company was only granted permission for trade and to have small encampments. As a Maritime and Island nation themselves, they realized the potential of the place – it was a natural harbour, with deep sea passage for big ships . The complete credit goes to the British – they made Mumbai what it is today. They had the vision, means and drive to clear the marshes, reclaim the land and make the seven islands into one land mass. We come to know about harsh living conditions from their documents. A man’s age was supposed to be of “2 monsoons.” But this did not deter them. Colossal engineering works were deliberated and completed. This was done over a period of nearly 60 years , from 1784 to 1845.
Later Salsette island was also joined and Mumbai became what it is today.
Mumbai is probably only place which has changed historically as well as geographically.
Following is the History of Mumbai in a “Coconut” – Bigger shell.
For more serious students I have provided relevant links in the document as well as a list of URLs which have helped me gather the info.
The Initial Legend :
Location :
It was originally an archipelago comprising of seven islands – Colaba, Smaller Colaba, also known as (Old Woman’s Island), Worli, Parel, Mazgaon, Mumbadevi and Mahim.
Further north was a large group of islands , the Sashti, meaning sixty-six villages. It was the precursor to the modern Salsette Island that forms the bulk of the city today. The entire area composed of 22 hills, mangrove forests, marshes, beaches and wetlands, dissected by many rivers and streams,
Artifacts found near Kandivali in northern Mumbai indicate that these islands were inhabited since the Stone Age
Deep sea fishermen tribes KOLI were the original Inhabitants of Mumbai , and with them Agari the salt makers, inhabited the Salsette islands. From very early age Hindu, Budhhist and Christians cultures were flourishing together here. (Many of Kolis were Christians from very early times.) Wikipedia – History of Mumbai.
Continuous dredging and successive reclamations in 17th and 18th centuries by British have now linked the islands into a single large mass of land. These were merged with Salsette Island to make a large peninsula. Now the whole mass is known as Salsette Island. The location makes it a natural harbour.
It is bounded on the north by Vasai Creek, on the northeast by the Ulhas River, on the east by Thane Creek and Bombay Harbour, and on the south and west by the Arabian Sea.
Early history :
Mumbai is the original name of this place , after the legendary stone goddess of Mumba Devi, which was worshipped by Kolis. It is believed that around the third century BC, the islands were part of the Magadhan empire ruled by the emperor Ashoka.
Buddhist monks, scholars and artists created the artwork, inscriptions and sculpture of the Kanheri Caves, Elephanta Caves, Jogeshwari Caves and the Mahakali Caves. The total number of Buddhist caves number 109, dating from the end of the 2nd century BC.
Walkeshwar Temple Complex (1127) and Elephanta caves (810-1260 ) are the oldest surviving structures here, and provide clues to the earlier known period of its history. They were commissioned and completed during the reign of SILHARA Dynasty (810-1240) Raja Bhim Dev( 13th century) is considered to be the last Hindu king to reign here .Today ‘s Mahim or Mahikavati was his capital.
In the 1343 Sultan Muhamed Begada of Muzaffarid dynasty in Gujrat captured it . This dynasty’s rule lasted for about 150 years till Portuguese arrival in India in 1498. In 1508, Francis Almeida sailed in the archipelago and named it Bom Bahia or “Good Bay” which became Bombay . Since then there were continuous hostilities between the Sultanate and Portuguese
The Portuguese wrested several territories including Salsette and Mumbai islands from the Sultans of Gujarat: These possessions became the Northern Province of Portuguese India. The Portuguese established a fort in Bassein, (Vasai,) on the mainland just north of the Bombay archipelago to rule this province.
The Portuguese gave the Jesuit priests the sole ownership of Bandra, Parel, Wadala and Sion.
These priests built several churches in Bandra, including the famous St. Andrew’s Church, which has the distinctive Portuguese-style facade. Bandra has the unique distinction of having the most Roman Catholic churches anywhere in the world: six churches with their own separate parishes, and also the world famous Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, affiliated to the parish of St. Andrew’s, Bandra.
In 1737 Sashti was captured by the Marathas, and most of the Portuguese northern province was ceded to the Marathas in 1739. The British occupied Sashti in 1774, which was formally ceded to the East India Company in the 1782 Treaty of Salbai.
Beginning of Modern Bombay :
In 1661 the seven Mumbai islands were given to British as part of dowry of Infanta Catherine Braganza, the Princess of Portugal when she married Charles II, the king of England. In 1668 it was leased to the East India Company for 10 Pounds per annum!
This was the first part of India that could properly be termed a colony; elsewhere on the subcontinent the English had merely been granted the right to set up “factories”, or trading posts. Because of its natural safe and deep harbour and strategic position for trade, British developed it for their own ends.
To fortify their colony, British built Fort St. George, ( or Bombay Castle) a military fort, (1715), which was finally demolished (1864) , although a part of its walls remains, where the St. George Hospital now exists. The area is still known as “FORT”. Flora Fountain is where the southern gate used to be.
Gerald Aungier , the second governor (1672-77), planned the city and by the start of the eighteenth century the town was the capital of the East India Company.
He is credited with encouraging the mix that still contributes to the city’s success, welcoming Hindu traders from Gujurat, Goans (escaping Jesuit persecution), Muslim weavers,(Bohras) and most visibly, the business-minded Zoroastrian Parsis . He is known as “Father of Bombay” because he made the city a prime commercial centre..
In 1687 the presidency of the East India Company shifted from Surat to Bombay and finally in 1708 Bombay became it’s headquarter.
Between 1784 and 1845 the British embarked upon reclamations and large scale engineering works in Bombay. This is the period in which the seven islands were merged into one landmass. Now 40% of this island city consists of reclaimed land from the sea.
European sports clubs for cricket and other games came in to existence early in the 19th Century. The Bombay Gymkhana was formed in 1875 exclusively for Europeans. Other communities followed this example, and various Parsi, Muslim, and Hindu gymkhanas were started with fierce sports competitions .
Many Firsts of Mumbai :
Under British influence, Mumbai became home to many progressive institutions and systems that helped spearhead social and economic modernization across India. Almost all of them are still thriving under same or different names
In 1735 Naval Dockyard was opened and shipbuilding industry established. Bombay Dock the first dry dock in Asia was commissioned in 1750. It is still working.
In 1829 The Mumbai Mint was established. It is still working under Govt. of India.
In 1845, the Grant Medical College and hospital, was founded
In 1854, The Bombay Spinning Mill – first cotton mill was founded. By 1870 there were 13 mills here.
In 1857 University of Bombay became one of the first modern institution of higher education in India, along with the University of Calcutta.
Around 1860 the piped water supply from Tulsi and Vehar lakes (and later Tansa) was inaugurated.
In 1887 the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute (Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) )was founded, the first-ever Indian institute of engineering and technical subjects.
On April 16, 1853 the first-ever Indian railway line began operations between the city and neighbouring Thane, over a distance of 21 miles. The Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) and the Bombay Baroda and Central India (BB&CI) Railway were started in 1860. (Now they are merged with Indian Railways. )
A regular service of steamers on the west coast was commenced in 1869.
Bombay Port Trust consolidated the docks in 1870 .
Bombay Municipal Corporation was established in 1872, providing a modern framework of governance for the rapidly-growing city.
Migration to Mumbai :
With opening of naval dockyard, famous family of shipbuilders Wadias came to Bombay from Surat, and between 1735-1863 built nearly 300 ships of various kinds. At least 4 docks were constructed including Asia’s first Dry Dock, the Mereweather Dry Docks in 1891.
All these works, attracted workers from all over India. Most construction workers came from south or northern states. With the cotton mills came large-scale migrations of Marathi workers, and the chawls, which accommodated them. Slowly, the city began to develop its distinct character.
With rail link between Bombay and the cotton-growing areas of the Deccan plateau in 1853 travel became easy and encouraged more migration.
This crucial railway, together with the cotton crisis in America after the Civil War, fuelled Bombay cotton boom and made the city a major industrial and commercial centre. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1859, and the construction of enormous docks, Bombay’s access to European markets improved further. Sir Bartle Frere , governor from 1862 to 1867, oversaw the construction of the city’s distinctive colonial-Gothic buildings; the most extravagant of all, Victoria Terminus railway station – now officially Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus or CST.
The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of king George V and Queen Mary for the Darbar at Delhi in 1911. Ironically the same gate saw the last of British troops in 1948.
Pre and Post Independence :
Bombay played a formative role in the struggle for Independence. Indian National Congress was formed here in 1885 by leading Indian personalities and the launch of the ‘Quit India’ campaign in 1942. Today’s Azad Maidan is the venue of Quit India call. After Independence the city became capital of the Bombay Presidency but this was divided on linguistic grounds into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960 and Bombay became the capital of Maharashtra. In 1996, Bombay was renamed as Mumbai.
Since Independence, Mumbai has prospered as India’s commercial and cultural capital and this period has seen the population grow tenfold to more than sixteen million.
Reclamation of land is still continuing in various parts of city. Nariman Point stands on Backbay reclamation. Latest is Bandra reclamation.
Dealing with Disasters :
Mumbai always had congestion problem, even with continued reclamation space has always been at a premium. The multitude of people also makes for hygienic problems, frustrations which translates into irritation with other minority or ethnic groups , and occasionally erupts in communal riots. Then natural disasters also take their toll. But this city has risen more strong after each trouble.
In 1803 a fire raged through the Indian part of the town, razing many localities. The tragedy was to have a positive effect in that the town could be built anew, to a better plan. Already residents were paying taxes to the civil authorities for the upkeep and cleaning of streets. In 1812 an Ordinance was promulgated which, among other things, set out the possibility of demolition of encroachments.
In the closing years of the 19th Century the bubonic plague caused great destruction of human life. One significant result of the plague was the creation of the City Improvement Trust which in later years encouraged the development of the suburbs for residential purposes to remove the congestion in the city.
The Bombay Explosion (or Bombay Docks Explosion) occurred on April 14, 1944, in the Victoria Dock of Bombay when SS Fort Stikine carrying a mixed cargo of cotton bales, gold, ammunition including around 1,400 tons of explosive caught fire and was destroyed in two giant blasts, scattering debris, sinking surrounding ships and killing around 800 people.
The government took full responsibility for the disaster and monetary compensation was paid to citizens who made a claim for loss or damage to property. The gold bars are still found sporadically during dredging operations.
After independence, the migration of people continued unabated. By 1982, Mumbai’s infrastructure was starting to buckle under the tensions of overpopulation. A bitter and protracted textile strike deprived lakhs of industrial workers. Unemployment and crime were spiraling but the influx of immigrants into the city showed no signs of dwindling. In the frustration of times communal antagonism was aired and in a harmonious city communal riots began to happen. From 1984, to 1993 several times this malaise surfaced.
On March 12, 1993, 13 massive bomb blasts ripped through the heart of the city, killing 317 people. No one claimed responsibility, but the involvement of “foreign hands” (ie Pakistan) was suspected.
26 July 2005 saw a spate of floods in Mumbai. Thousands of people were stranded due to flooding and could not reach home for up to 18 hours. This caused more chaos than Bomb Blasts. The financial and health cost of floods was unprecedented . Entire commercial, trading, and industrial activity stopped for days. There were real health scares .
On 11 July 2006 series of seven bomb blasts that took place over a period of 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and India’s financial capital. 209 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured in the attacks.
Western Railway services were restored on 11 July by 10.45 pm. As a show of investor confidence, the Mumbai Stock Exchange rebounded, starting the day with the BSE Sensex Index up by nearly 1% in morning trade
The city always showed its mettle by coming to normalcy each time with remarkable speed.
Mumbai Today :
It is a vibrant metropolis , has its shares of problems, but is buoyant and dynamic. It has shown times and again that no one can restrain it.
Besides being the financial & commercial capital, it has one of the largest cotton textile industries in the country, the biggest & busiest port in India, the largest source of oil and natural Gas, the largest Stock Exchange (BSE) in India, the Indian Cricket Board BCCI . Mumbai is also the capital of India’s Pharmaceutical Trade and Industry. Many multinationals & mega corporate head offices are located here. The city has a good tradition of different sports , thanks to Gymkhana culture. Despite all troubles, it continues to be the dream destination of hopeful people whether in sports, culture, business or education.
It also has major religious centers for Hindus, (Mumba Devi, Mahalkshmi, Sidhhi Vinayak), Muslims ( Haji Ali, Bandra Mosque) , and Christian Churches, (St. Andrew’s, Mount Mary).
Mumbai is also the nucleus of entertainment industry. The Hindi film industry, popularly known as Bollywood is sited here. Most of India’s television and satellite networks are also located in Mumbai. Mumbai leads Fashion and Educational ideas . Mumbai has a strong entrepreneurial culture and chutzpah.
Sources
I have depended on this most heavily. It has not only the main information , but links to all relevant places that are mentioned in the article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mumbai
These all have one or two snippets to add, mostly have used to check and corroborate
http://www.mumbaispace.com/cityinfo/index.htm
http://www.mumbaisuburbs.com/mumbai-tourist/mumbai_story.html
http://www.mumbai.ichotelsgroup.com/
http://www.travelotica.com/travelguide/7482/india/bombay-mumbai/history-7486.htm
http://www.mumbai.org.uk/history.html
http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/history/c19.html
This has some interesting stories.
http://www.mumbainet.com/template1.php?CID=15&SCID=5
This has interesting trading history.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/trading/bombay/history.html