Just because, ye hai Mumbai meri jaan

While Delhi has the dil of many, Mumbai still clutches its position as the jaan. If you think you know all about what makes the city our heartbeat, here is more of our love for the city maximum. The inherently-Mumbai experience that the city is known for, right from a night’s drive on the sea link to a quick trip to Chor Bazaar and a sombre evening at the Haji Ali Dargah.

1. Drive down Bandra-Worli Sea Link
One of your nights in Mumbai (or Bombay, as we still love calling it) hail a cab, put on your favourite music and go down the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. It is, perhaps, one of the best things to have happened to the city, doing much more than just connecting South Mumbai to West. Post 12, every night, you will find Mumbaikars enjoying this scenic drive, away from the mayhem that the city is rather infamous for.
2. A shopping trip to Chor Bazaar
Chor Bazaar in Mumbai is your place if you’re into quirky shopping. Here, you will get everything from gramophones, old clocks, antique furniture to vinyl records, laser disc players and a lot of electronic stuff as well. Going here is more of a treasure hunt, you never know what you might get.
3. Qawwalis at Haji Ali Dargah
This tom of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari is set on a tiny islet in the city, about 500 yards from the shoreline.It attracts close to 15000 people every day, and is a major landmark as well. Usually, there are qawwali sessions at the dargah every evening, slightly amateurish but the ambience pretty much makes for it.

4. An evening at Marine Drive
Regardless of the ever-swelling crowd here, an evening in Mumbai stays imperfect without a long walk at the the Marine Drive. City’s own getaway within itself, this is where Mumbaikars cut loose, shrug off the speed that the city life has, and are happily seen gloating over tinier joys that can be anything from an ice-cream or panipuri to beer.

5. Rendezvous with the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
The annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai is one of the most famous ones in the country, and rightly so. Plan your trip around the first Saturday of February, for that is when the festival commences. Here, you will have some of the finest experiences of visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema and much more. Mumbaikars take pride in this event, and you will know why when you visit it.

6. Chasing ghosts in Aarey Milk Colony
Believe it or not, but the city’s Aarey Milk Colony has a horror story attached to it. Reportedly, a number of people have been quoted sighting a headless human figure on the roads here, coupled with photos and videos that might or might not be fabricated.

7. Taste the true Parsi flavours
The city is home to some of the finest, authentic Parsi restaurants and bakeries, owing to the community’s presence here. A no-frills affair, a meal at these places is for the true foodies, keen to have a lifetime’s experience.

If you have more Bombay essentials to add to this story, feel free to drop a comment below. We are reading.