Mumbai by Dawn - AHM : 1235
You are picked up from your Hotel at 0430 hrs and we drive to the market where all the action is in the early morning. Yes its 0430 hrs and Mumbai never sleeps. Our first halt is at the Victoria Terminus Railway Station now called as Chhatrapathi Shivaji Terminus. This magnificent structure is a UNESCO Heritage Site built in the year 1887. Witness the madness in the morning when the newspaper vendor is busy sorting the editions received in the morning of various news papers in so many other languages besides Hindi or English. You can also see the Milk Vendors busy getting ready to deliver it to homes and the Milk Man riding past the milk cans nicely tucked up on the sides of their bicycles.
We later drive to City Bakery which will introduce you to the staple bread which Mumbaikars cannot live without – Its Pav – The Mumbai Bread. The particular version of Portuguese pão that we in India latched onto looks like a grid of bread buns stuck together at the edges into a slab. Mumbaikar's love Pav and from main course meals like Keema ( Minced Meat ) to Fast Food – Pav Bhaji ( Mashed Vegetables ) to Tea Sessions – Chai Pav ( Sliced Pav with Butter spread and taken with Tea ). We want Pav in everything. The Guide will show you the process and what better time to explore than morning when the fresh lot comes out as Breakfast time is near.
We continue our morning and now visit Dadar Flower Market. This less than a kilometre stretch under the Dadar bridge is a place where you get all sorts of flowers in the early morning. They sell average of 500 Kg plus flowers every morning. From Temple to wedding garlands to decorative flowers to any sort of varieties for flower lovers. This is the place to grab it at the best price. Its also a place for photographers to catch the essence of Mumbai and the locals busy shopping in early morning or a catch some friends enjoying cup of tea with a newspaper in hand and chatting all about politics and Bollywood.
Our last stop will be the Sassoon's Dock in Colaba. This place is home to Mumbai's traditional Koli Fishing community. This place was built in the year 1875 on reclaimed land, by David Sassoon & Co. It was owned by Albert Abdullah David Sassoon, a Baghdadi Jew and the leader of the Jewish community in erstwhile Bombay. Till today this is the best place to get the fresh fish at the best price in the mornings when the trawler reaches and offloads the fresh catch. You can spend some time here to observe the auction of the fishes by the local fisherman. See them buy and load them in crates and ready to be despatched to the local markets both nearby and in suburbs for selling.
As the Sun rises and Mumbaikar's awake, you have today witnessed another side of Mumbai as to how it prepares for the long day ahead. We drop you back to your hotel.
Tour Ends