The name Mumbai is an eponym, etymologically derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba — the name of the Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, and Aai — mother in Marathi. The former name Bombay had its origins in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in the area and called the place with various names, which would finally take on the written form Bombaim, still common in current Portuguese use. After the British gained possession in the 17th century, it was anglicised to Bombay, although it was known as Mumbai or Mambai to Marathi and Gujarati-speakers, and as Bambai in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian. The name was officially changed to Marathi pronunciation of Mumbai in 1995.

A widespread explanation of the origin of the traditional English name Bombay holds that it would be derived from a Portuguese name meaning good bay. This is based on the fact that bom is Portuguese for good whereas the English word bay is similar to the Portuguese baía (bahia in old spelling). However, the normal Portuguese rendering of good bay would have been bahia boa rather than the grammatically incorrect bom bahia.

Other sources have a different origin for the Portuguese toponym Bombaim. José Pedro Machado's Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa ("Portuguese Dictionary of Onomastics and Etymology") mentions what is probably the first Portuguese reference to the place, dated from 1516, as Benamajambu or Tena-Maiambu, pointing out that "maiambu"' seems to refer to Mumba-Devi, the Hindu goddess after which the place is named in Marathi (Mumbai). In that same century the spelling seems to have evolved to Mombayn (1525) and then Mombaim (1563). The final form Bombaim appears later in the 16th century, as recorded by Gaspar Correia in his Lendas da Índia ("Legends of India").J.P. Machado seems to reject the "Bom Bahia" hypothesis, asserting that Portuguese records mentioning the presence of a bay at the place led the English to assume that the noun (bahia, "bay") was an integral part of the Portuguese toponym, hence the English version Bombay, adapted from Portuguese.

Culture of Mumbai

Culturally, Mumbai is renowned for its film industry, which is also called Bollywood. Cinema is very popular throughout India and the city is responsible for the majority of the Hindi-language films that are made in the country. The annual Mumbai International Film Festival of Mumbai is a major event in the cinematic calendar. The film festival is staged at various venues across Mumbai during the month of February.

Shopping in Mumbai

Mumbai is a shopper's paradise with bargain buys, exclusive boutiques, ethnic markets and mini bazaars. The bazaars of Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar are must visits while in Mumbai. The Mangaldas Market, Zaveri Bazaar, and Chor Bazaar are amongst the best-known shopping places of Mumbai. The Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market or the Crawford Market is renowned for offering the best of fruits and vegetables in Mumbai.

Fast Food restaurants in Mumbai

In order to help the people of Mumbai cope up with the fast paced metropolitan life, several fast-food restaurants have mushroomed. The fast food restaurants dot Mumbai and offer lip-smacking specialties. You may feast your taste buds on the multi-culinary delicacies served on the beachside or in the posh restaurants. South Indian fare, Gujarati thalis, Chinese, typical North Indian Mughlai food and continental cuisines are easily available at the fast food restaurants. Mumbai is known for its pav bhaji, bhel puri and kababs.

When To Visit Mumbai

The best time to explore Mumbai is between the months of September and April, when the weather is relatively dry and cool. From June to September the skies open, sometimes with catastrophic results - the floods of 2005 killed nearly a thousand and left thousands more homeless. During the monsoon season, ferries to Elephanta Island and beyond stop, and trips to Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the forts and cave temples around Mumbai are often impossible. YOu might also want to avoid the months just before the monsoon breaks, when temperatures can top 40ºC (140ºF).

Without doubt, the biggest spectacle in the Mumbai calendar is Ganesh Chaturthi, an 11-day Hindu festival that rocks the city every August/September. This colourful event reaches a climax when huge images of the elephant-headed god are immersed in the sea, most notably off Chowpatty Beach. The largest effigies are hauled into the river by crane and all are painted in surreal, fluorescent colours.