#mumbai

#mumbai

The road was intended as a solution to the gridlocked roads of India's commercial capital. But Mumbai is a densely populated peninsula, 25 miles (40km) long and 6 miles wide, where land is as scarce as snow. The new coastal road had to be built on land reclaimed from the Arabian Sea. An engineering marvel, it connects north and south, and is a dream for car owners, who used to average about 5mph through Mumbai's congestion.

Immediately, I collected my bag and umbrella and called my husband. I didn't know what was happening. My colleague advised me not to sit in the ladies' coach on the train (in Mumbai we have a separate coach for ladies). He said, You'd better go in the general coach, because if something happens you will have the support of other people there.

I love Mumbai, but there are days when the city tests me. When I'm walking in sweltering heat amid a cacophony of horns, dodging dog poop on the pavement, coughing up dust churned up by zigzagging rickshaws.

The home of Bollywood and India's commercial capital, Mumbai continues to entice travelers with its rich culture, fascinating history and electric energy. As well as being home to some of the country's most enticing historical landmarks, the cosmopolitan destination has evolved into a hub for high-end travel, where visitors can enjoy top-tier restaurants and glitzy shopping districts. A city of contrasts, for first-time visitors, the culture and chaos can often feel overwhelming.

Tourists should pack breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen for humid weather, and quick-dry materials for rain, alongside comfortable shoes for walking.

The CSMVS has retrofitted three antiquated public buses as mobile mini-museums, plying historiography on the chaotic highways of the world's most populous country. The objective, according to the CSMVS curators, is to engage citizens in an evolving understanding of history that reflects contemporary values.

It's the eyes that stay with you... As Sushma Jansari explains, it's not surprising that the eyes have it. Making direct eye contact, getting a glimpse (or darshan) of the divine, is the whole point.