Comprehensive Mumbai Business Directory
Dedicated to providing resources and advancement services for Mumbai India's smaller businesses
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 Mumbai is the commercial Capital of India. The island city of Mumbai is situated off the west coast of India, south of the tropic of Cancer. Because of a wide bay between the city and the mainland, Mumbai has been a natural harbour and trading centre. Many large businesses have their corporate offices in this city. Mumbai is also the prime centre for the film industry. The city was called Bombay for much of the last four hundred years and the name is often said to come from the Portuguese phrase "bom baia" meaning good bay. The original name Mumbai is attributed to the local goddess Mumbadevi. The name of the city was changed to Mumbai by an act of the parliament in 1997. History The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands, namely Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. The history of this group of islands located on the west coast of India goes way back to the stone ages. Stone age implements have been found at several sites in these islands. The coastal regions, and presumably the islands were the home of the Koli fisher folk in the distant past. In third century BC, these islands were part of the Magadhan empire under Emperor Ashoka. After his death, the islands changed hands from one king to another for two thousand years. They belonged to the Silhara dynasty till the middle of the 13th century. The oldest structures in the archipelago, the caves at Elephanta, and part of the Walkeshwar temple complex, probably date from this time. Modern sources identify a 13th century Raja Bhimdev who had his capital in Mahikawati, present-day Mahim, and Prabhadevi. Presumably the first merchants and agriculturists settled in Mumbai at this time. In 1343 the island of Salsette, and eventually the whole archipelago, went to the Sultan of Gujarat. The mosque in Mahim is the only nostalgia from this period. In 1508 Francis Almeida and his men sailed into the harbour of these islands, which they called Bom Baia (the Good Bay). Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was forced to cede the main islands to the Portuguese in 1534. The Portuguese built forts and a few chapels for the converted fishermen. The St. Andrew's church in Bandra dates from this period. In 1662 Mumbai came in pocession of Charles II as part of the dowry of his wife Catherine of Braganza. In 1668 Charles leased Mumbai to the East India Company at an annual rental of ten Pounds Sterling. The British decided to develop these islands into a city and a centre of commerce. They have started factories in many places and many commercial treaties were signed with local rulers. In the four hundred years since then, the city has grown by a series of land reclamations, which now link the original islands into one mass. The British lured skilled workers and traders to move to this British holding. The opportunities for business attracted many Gujarati communities. The population of Bombay was estimated to have risen from 10,000 in 1661 to 60,000 in 1675. Through the 18th century British power and influence grew at the expense of the local rulers. The shipbuilding industry was shifted to Bombay from Surat. Artisans from Gujarat like goldsmiths, ironsmiths and weavers moved to the islands. Following the 1817 British victory over the Marathas, the British embarked upon reclamations and large scale engineering works in Bombay. The vellard at Breach Candy (1784) and the construction of the Mahim Causeway (1845) are the milestones of this period in which the seven islands were merged into one landmass. In 1853, a 35km long railway was built between Thana and Bombay, the first in India. Four years later, in 1854, the first cotton mill was founded in Bombay. Following the first war of Independence in 1857, Bombay was reverted to the British crown. With the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, exports, especially cotton, from Bombay became a major part of the colonial economy. The construction of Imperial Bombay continued well into the 20th century. Some of the landmarks from this period are the Gateway of India, the General Post Office, the Town Hall (now the Asiatic Library) and the Prince of Wales Museum. The freedom movement reached a high pitch and with many campaigns in the following years, the end of the British imperial rule in India was foretold by the Quit India declaration on August 8, 1942. India became a free country on August 15, 1947. Bombay became the capital of State of Bombay. When State of Bombay was renamed Maharastra, Mumbai retained its position. Travel Guide Mumbai is best to visit from October to March when the climate is pleasant. Throughout the year the maximum temparature is almost steady(29oC ~ 33oC). The minimum temparature will be between 16oC and 26oC. The Monsoons are during June - Sept. Mumbai has one international terminal and one domestic terminal to handle the air traffic. 40 percent of the air traffic to India is handled by Mumbai airport. Relevent travel guidance can be obtained from Government of India Tourist office at 123, Maharshi Karve Road, Opposite Church gate Railway Station or from MTDC Head Office, 9th floor, Express towers, Nariman Point. MTDC tourist information counters are located at international and domestic airports, railway stations and bus terminals. Most of the star hotels also provide tourist information for their guests. For more details follow the link Travel Guide.  Navi Mumbai is as much of a melting pot as Mumbai. Communities from across the country have come here to stay, either because of the proximity to their jobs or just because they like the place. Interestingly, a large number of small businesses have mushroomed to make the newcomers feel just at home. Like the Bangali machiwala. The Bangali machiwala in Navi Mumbai is not a Bangali at all. He could be a Maharashtrian like Shivaji Malvi, who got into this business of selling Bangali fish to the Bengalis. How is the Bangali fish different? Bengalis love river water fish and are averse to eating salt water fishes like bangda, surmai etc. Also, because of their daily consumption, they are used to buying fish in kilos, an unheard of phenomenon aamchi Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, used a it is to buying in vaatas (small pre-designed portions). These Bangali machiwalas, go to Colaba or Dadar, buy Rohu, Hilsa, Katla, Pabda and sell to the Bengalis and make huge profits. Now of course there are other community people too who opt for Bangali fish. The local market of Navi Mumbai include stores like the Balaji Store (a store which is exclusively for the south Indians), or the Vishal Communications store which also stores favourite Bengali products and many more. The Balaji store was set up in the year 2000. The store was set up with its target audience being the Tamilians. V.T. Puttraj owns the Balaji store. He explains, “Supposing I get 100 customers, out of which 95 are south Indians and 5 are the people from other states”. He further adds, “I generally sell items like the Coimbatore butter, Mysore coffee powder, Ambika Applam (papad), Gokul Santol (sandalwood talcum powder), Vijayawada Idli Rava, pickles, Madras onions which is a delicacy (generally used for sambar). Now the population of Navi Mumbai comprises of good number of south Indians because of which my business is doing very well. Now there is also a huge demand for south Indian snacks that is not only bought by the south Indians but also by the others. The most preferred by all is the Tenranga chips (banana chips). This Balaji store in Nerul is doing so well that it has now expanded and started the Balaji Emporium also in Nerul. V.T Puttraj owns this Emporium. This stores focuses on the traditional south Indian items like the brass diyas, the traditional coffee filter, chatai, Stainless Steel Idli plates, etc. He further adds that during south Indian festivals like the Tamil or Telegu New Year or the Onam they sell banana leaves, coconut, lotus flowers, etc. Says Mrs. Lalitha V, “During festivals like Telegu New Year or Varalakshmi Vratam we require small banana leaves, Patti (for the diyas), coconut, jackfruit, pan leaves, lotus flowers which are only found in south Indian stores. One more example of the above is a store in Nerul that is run by Vishal B. Waghamode. This store has been running for the past 15 years. He sells some exclusive Bengali items like the Jhalmuri, which is special puffed rice used by the Bengalis for bhel puri (no liquids are added to it). He even sells Chana Chur that is also added to the Chats. Right next to Vishal Communications there is a fish market where special Bengali fish is sold. Mrs. Atasi Tripathy, a Bengali says, “I always prefer buying Hilsa which is a sweet water fish as it tastes better than the other fish. Though it costs Rs 300 a kg I prefer buying it." But now not only the local markets but also the regular shopping centers of Vashi include shops like Bani Thani. Bani Thani is a shop run by Mrs. Nudita Govil, a Rajasthani. The shop was started 6 years back. She had initially started the store with the intention of bringing back the glorious and ethnic traditions of Rajasthan. She says, “The puppet shows of Rajasthan has lost its audience with the passage of time.” The store has Jharokas (which is a small window), which are made of wood, traditional handmade diaries with special gem stone work (There is a wide market of gemstones in Rajasthan where they crush the stones and add them to the water colours with which the paint on the object), Silk wall hanging, paintings which depict scenes of various Rajasthani festivals like the Pariharen, doli, Gangaur, etc. She says , “We do not get customers from a particular section. I get a good number of Bengali, Delhiwallas, and South Indian customers. It is the demand of the people around which is on rise and it is because of this that my business is doing very well.” These shops have brought into focus how, communities don’t just love sponsoring their own kind of food and lifestyle, their liking also generates business amongst those not from their communities too. And of course the add-on, is that other communities also get to learn and enjoy each other’s traditional ways. Finally, it’s all about business! By Shalini Vemuri  |
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