Gateway of India, Mumbai, India

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Gateway of India: Most travelers start their Mumbai tour from this place, and anyone's tour to Mumbai is incomplete without a visit to this place. This architectural marvel is the landmark figure of Mumbai, and this is the site in the city having the maximum number of travelers.


The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of British King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai (then it was called Bombay) in December 1911. They came to India for their formal proclamations as Emperor and Empress of the sub-continent at Delhi Durbar. 


Sir George Sydenham Clarke, the then Governor of Bombay, laid the foundation stone on 31st March 1911. The Scottish architect George Writtet was assigned to design the architecture of the structure. When the royal couple landed in Bombay, only the cardboard model was ready. The work got sanctioned in March 1914, and the initial work began in 1915. The construction was completed and made open to the public on 4th December 1924.


The Gateway of India was built in Indo-Saracenic architectural style, with some elements derived from the Muslim architectural styles of 16th century Gujarat. It is a rectangular structure with three sections. The front and backside of the gateway look similar. There are three arches totally, and the central arch being the biggest. The main block has a dome, which is 48 feet in diameter and 83 feet in height. Four turrets join it. It is decorated with intricate latticework. The upper portions of the two smaller arches have decorations and designs.


The Gateway of India, which is situated on the waterfront, has a majestic look. The large expanse of the Arabian Sea visible from the monument enhances the beauty of the site. At the backside of the memorial, there are motorboats that would take us on a ride to Elephanta Islands, another attraction of Mumbai.


The statue of Chhatrapati Sivaji, the great Maratha King, riding the horse, was erected in 1961, near the Gateway. The statue of majestically looking Swami Vivekananda is also found in the vicinity.







Facing the Gateway of India, on the other side of the road, there is the iconic Taj hotel, which the terrorists attacked on 26th November 2008 (26/11 Mumbai terror attack).

Happy travelling.










Coorg



Visit my site, krishnakumartk.com, to know more about the travel guides and other books that I have written. 
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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