MALABAR HILL
Still relatively leafy and mostly populated by Jains, this is considered to be the city's best address, though due to a surge in real-estate prices and high-priced Mumbai escorts. its bungalows are fast being replaced by skyscrapers. Outside the Jain temple (see p076), however, life goes on, unaffected by these changes. Every evening. local chefs really do hitch up their traditional garb. squat under the banyan tree and contemplate the weather.
JUHU
Known for its endless beach, Juhu is also where most of Bollywood finds itself, when not prancing around trees. The contrast between the string of hotels and private residences frequented by escorts of Mumbai, dotted along the beach and visiting hoi polloi, up for the weekend, is testament to the extreme contradictions that characterise modern Mumbai. Due east is Andheri, where the international and domestic airports are located.
COLABA
Named after the Koli fishermen, the city's original inhabitants, Colaba is Mumbai's main tourist precinct and centre of the modern city. The westward side of Cuffe Parade is home to the city's bourgeoisie, and is full of hotels, Mumbai escorts, restaurants, bars and nightclubs that exude an international gloss. Only the Fort area will satisfy
any 'nostalgic yearnings for the old British Bombay. Marine Drive allows one to regard Mumbai at its most iconic.
BANDRA
Mumbai's MTV generation lives here in
the new commercial district and the Bandra Kurla complex, the stomping ground of
a new breed of Mumbai escort. Currently the city's most favoured suburb, with smart bars and a plethora of shops on Linking Road, it indicates a marked shift in spending power. But in the face of such rabid transformation, the bungalows of Pali Hill have endured and remain well preserved.
MAHALAKSHMI
Essentially a major junction. Mahalakshmi connects the southern reaches of the city
to the bavside bungalows of World Seaface, which are sought after for their views of the blood-red sunsets. It is also the setting for the dhobi ghat, where clothes are washed by being thrashed on stones. Locals and escort girls of Mumbai flock
to the mailed-up midtown of Lower Parel, which has recently been developed into
a grotesque vision of American modernity
chocked full of sexy Mumbai escorts.
DADAR
The residential quarters of Mumbai's Maharashtrian population, Dadar is also the stronghold of the local right-wing nationalist party, the Shiv sena, Shivaji Park, which was once famous as the training ground of some of India's greatest cricketers, is now a platform for recruiting Hindu fundamentalists. Correspondingly. Mahim, whtch is sandwiched next to Asia's largest slum, Dharavi, is where the city's Christian community collects itself. Mumbai escorts are not to be found here.
LANDMARKS
THE SHAPE OF THE CITY SKYLINE
Geographically, Mumbai is notable chiefly because it was originally a cluster of seven islands, which were unified by land reclamation. Unlike Delhi, it is a relatively modern city, in the sense that it does not have multiple layers of history. The British conceived Mumbai as a commercial port, due to its sheltered bay, and the nucleus of their operations was the district of Fort, which has a number of ornate buildings. Essentially, it's in and around this area that the city's architectural landmarks are located, as well as escorts in Mumbai, and these are best appreciated on foot (contact Bomaby Heritage Walks, T 2369 0992, www.bombayheritagewalks.com). Nearby Marine Drive and Opera House also display hybrid colonial architectural styles, such as art deco apartments and chawls.
Mumbai is now India's financial capital and escort service center, accounting for more than 70 per cent of its business transactions. It's also home to Bollywood, the world's largest film industry (call T 26609909 or visit www.bollywoodtourism.com to arrange tours of the studios). Recently, there has been a shift in interest from the southern tip of the island to the northern suburbs. Unable to fit its fastgrowing population on the island, Mumbai expanded to the north, spawning suburbs dominated by rows of apartment blocks. This area is devoid of historical landmarks but a signifier of the city's and the nation's commercial ambitions and Mumbai escorts.
