Page 468 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

466  SOUTHWESTERN INDIA

Shopping & Entertainment Mumbai is renowned for its
in Mumbai high-quality leather goods at
reasonable prices. Rasulbhai
Adamji at Colaba, and many
Mumbai is one of India’s best shopping destinations. Large shops in the Oberoi Shopping
malls, department stores and exclusive boutiques stocking Centre have a good range of
international brand names, coexist with traditional bazaars and jackets, handbags, wallets and
pavement stalls selling everything from diamonds to dentures. luggage, some of it “inspired” by
Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
Mumbai also has a vibrant nightlife, with more discotheques Joy Shoes at the Taj Hotel has
and pubs than any other Indian city. As the home of the Hindi high-quality shoes and leather
film industry, Bollywood, Mumbai often holds gala premiere nights accessories, with a clientele
at its many cinema halls. The city’s crowded cultural calendar comprising the likes of Amitabh
also includes several concerts, exhibitions, theatre shows and Bachchan and the Tatas.
festivals. But perhaps the best entertainment the city offers is
the non-stop circus on its bustling streets and sidewalks. Entertainment Guides,
Tickets and Venues
Daily newspapers list the day’s
Shops and Markets
Nayaab Jewels, in Khar, has entertainment and events on
South Mumbai’s main shopping a great collection of antique their engagements pages. Other
areas include Colaba Causeway, jewellery. The shopping arcades good sources of information are
Kemp’s Corner and the at the Oberoi and Taj Hotels the magazines TimeOut Mumbai
shopping arcade in the Oberoi (see p700 & p700) are also good and Know Your City Mumbai.
Hotel at Nariman Point. The places to shop for jewellery. Useful websites that offer online
traditional market for fresh information on cultural events
produce is Crawford Market and entertainment are www.
(see p457), while Bhuleshwar Textiles and Fashion brownpaperbag.in and www.lbb.
and Kalbadevi, north of the Mumbai is a fashion-conscious in/mumbai. Tickets for most
Fort area, are popular haunts city, and most Indian designers concerts and plays can
for textiles and jewellery. Atria have outlets here. Exclusive be bought from BookMyShow
and Crossroads, near the Haji boutiques include Aza, or at the venue itself. The major
Ali Dargah, and CR2 at Nariman Ensemble and Tarun Tahiliani, venues for Mumbai’s cultural
Point are popular shopping while casual ready-made events are the NCPA or National
malls. Further out, Inorbit (at garments are available at Centre for the Performing Arts
Malad), Oberoi (in Goregaon Cotton World. The Oberoi Hotel (see p462), the Nehru Centre
East), High Street Phoenix (in (see p700) houses, exclusively, auditorium and Shanmu-
Lower Parel, at Phoenix Mills) Gucci and Jimmy Choo stores. khananda Hall. Prithvi Theatre
and Phoenix Market City in Fantasia, Indian Textiles and in Juhu (see p464) is a lively
Kurla West also draw large Fabindia specialize in traditional centre for stage productions.
crowds of shoppers. Indian textiles and weaves, Other active exhibition venues
including silk saris, home include the Jehangir Art Gallery,
furnishings and accessories. the NGMA (National Gallery of
Antiques and Jewellery
For good-quality handwoven Modern Art) and the Artists’
A good place for antiques is home furnishings and floor Centre, located at Kala Ghoda
Chor Bazaar, or “Thieves’ Market”, carpets, the best shop is (see pp452–3).
near Crawford Market. This Shyam Ahuja.
warren of shops is crammed Performing Arts
with colonial furniture, Victorian
bric-a-brac and Chinese porcelain, Handicrafts and Gifts Mumbai is a great centre of
along with a lot of junk and Handicrafts from all over India classical Indian music, and many
fakes. Very good bargains can are available in Mumbai. The well-known performers can be
still be found here. Phillips widest range and best quality heard here. This cosmopolitan
Antiques, opposite Regal can be found at the Cottage city also has many enthusiasts of
Cinema on Dr Shyama Prasad Industries Emporium, jazz and Western classical music
Mukherjee Chowk, stocks a fine Contemporary Arts and Crafts (conductor Zubin Mehta received
col lec tion of old postcards, and Bombay Store in the Fort his early training in Mumbai), and
prints and Raj-era lithographs. area. Chimanlal’s has a good frequent concerts are held by
Note that strict rules govern the selection of handmade paper, both local and visiting international
export of antiques (see p735). while Inshallah Maashallah in groups. Classical and folk dance
Central Mumbai’s Zaveri Colaba stocks pure perfume performances from different
Bazaar is lined with jewellers’ essence (attar) in tiny glass parts of the country also feature
shops, Tribhovandas Bhimji bottles capturing the fragrances regularly on the cultural calendar.
Zaveri being the most famous. of rose, vetiver and jasmine. Mumbai has a vibrant theatre

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