Colaba Waterfront and Alleys

The Gateway of India sits on the edge of the Arabian Sea, marked by a massive basalt arch standing eighty-five feet tall. George Wittet designed the structure to commemorate the nineteen eleven visit of King George the Fifth and Queen…

The Taj Mahal Palace hotel features a distinctive central dome of red tiled Florentine design, rising above the Arabian Sea at the edge of the harbor. Jamsetji Tata commissioned the building in the late nineteenth century after he faced a…

The Royal Bombay Yacht Club stands out for its dark, gothic stonework and the distinctive arched windows that overlook the harbor. Completed in eighteen ninety-six, the clubhouse was designed for the colonial elite to relax after regattas.…

Cafe Mondegar stands out for the vibrant, wall-to-wall mural painted by cartoonist Mario Miranda that captures the chaotic energy of Mumbai life. Opened by Iranian immigrants in nineteen thirty-two, it started as a simple Irani café before…

The Cathedral of the Holy Name displays two slender, soaring spires that puncture the skyline of Colaba. Built in nineteen oh five, this structure replaced a smaller chapel to serve as the seat of the Archbishop of Bombay. When the…

Cusrow Baug occupies a rectangular grid of red stone apartment blocks punctuated by thick, manicured gardens and tall palm trees. Built in nineteen thirty-four, this gated community serves as a housing colony for Mumbai’s Parsi community.…

The Sassoon Dock stands out because of its vibrant, chaotic walls, which are covered in massive, colorful murals painted by artists from around the world. Built in eighteen seventy-five by the firm David Sassoon and Company, it was the…