SHIRAZ RANDERIA has been visiting Mumbai for more than 30 years. The photographer and consulting creative director was born and raised in London and now splits his time between Shanghai, Hong Kong and Britain, but Mumbai remains one of his favourite cities.
"My father is Parsi and grew up in Mumbai, and when I was young we'd come to visit relatives at least once a year," he tells me. The last time Randeria was in the city he was art-directing a fashion shoot for a Chinese magazine. That was a hectic trip, he says, but trying to see the metropolis in 48 hours is going to be particularly chaotic.
"This is the fourth most populated place on the planet but, like in Manhattan or Hong Kong, everyone's squeezed into an enclosed space, surrounded by water on all sides. You just have to go with it and enjoy the pandemonium."
Mumbai was once a series of islands, which were taken by the Portuguese in 1534 and given to the British when Catherine of Braganza, the King of Portugal's daughter, married Charles II in 1661. During the 18th century, the land between the islands was reclaimed, making the city into the unified whole it is today. However, Randeria says the different districts, many of which were once separate islands, have retained their own distinct character.
"The most historic part is Colaba in the south. This is where you find much of the heritage architecture, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It's the finest in the city — one of the best hotels in the world. If you've only got two nights in Mumbai, it really is the only place to stay."
The Taj was opened by a wealthy Parsi called Jamsetji Tata in 1903. Tata was irked by the "whites only" policy at the other fine hotels of the day, so he decided to build India's grandest accommodation, and open the doors to everyone. The place is dripping with history, famed for its immaculate service and serves some of the city's best food.
"It also makes a perfect base for exploration," says Randeria. "Opposite the hotel is one of Mumbai's best boutiques, Bombay Electric, which stocks men's and women's fashion from Indian designers. For a more traditional souvenir, Cottage Industries is around the corner. It sells arts and crafts made in villages across the country. It's run by the Ministry of Tourism and they make sure the artisans receive a fair wage."
We wander up the street and find one of India's oldest cinemas, the Regal. Built in 1933, it's one of dozens of art deco buildings in this area. Of course, Bollywood films play every night.
"They're usually in Hindi," says Randeria. "And there aren't any English subtitles, but it doesn't matter much, you really go for the singing and dancing. The music in a Bollywood film needs no translation, it's infectious."
If you don't have time to see a movie, then pick up some of that music at Rhythm House, a five-minute walk from the Regal. This store has been selling music since the 1940s and still carries Bollywood's best.
"But for the true, crackly sound of Indian cinema, look for vintage vinyl," says Randeria. "In the Chor Bazaar - the Thieves' Market - you can find a couple of shops with stacks of LPs and singles."
We head to this warren of tiny stores and find singles for 100 rupees (HK$12) and albums from the 1950s, '60s and '70s for 300 rupees or less. The area also has vintage movie posters and Mumbai's best antique shopping, items that go back to the days of the Raj.
As the sun comes down, Randeria takes me to Marine Drive, a long, paved walkway that links Nariman Point in Mumbai's financial district to Chowpatty Beach. It's a 4.8 kilometre, palm-lined stretch that attracts families who sit looking out at the sunset over the Arabian Sea. At the halfway point we stop for a cocktail at the InterContinental Hotel's rooftop bar, Dome.
The following morning, we walk over to one of the city's most spectacular buildings, Victoria Terminus, a railway terminal built in 1887 in high Italianate Gothic. It remains the busiest station in India, where travellers, porters and commuters form a ceaseless, chaotic jumble under the gargoyles and ornate arches of the building. The station is a microcosm of India and its past, and was named a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2004.
After going back past the Victorian law courts and the Oval Maidan, we eat at one of the city's finest Indian restaurants, Masala Kraft. Lunch is a thali, a vegetarian platter of 10 dishes, such as dahi bhindi (tempered lady fingers and yoghurt), janhi posto (gourd in poppy seed gravy) and shengdana amti (spiced peanut curry made). There are four thalis on the lunch menu, one from each corner of India.
In the afternoon, Randeria suggests heading north to the city's other major beach, in Juhu.
To get there, we hail a Padmini taxi. "This is one of my favourite cars in the world," says Randeria of the ancient, noisy Fiats that were first launched onto Mumbai's streets in the mid '60s. "Unfortunately, they're being phased out. The government passed a law saying no taxi could be more than 20 years old and they stopped making these in 2000, so every year we lose more. When I'm in Mumbai I make a point of only taking Padmini cabs."
Juhu Beach curls up the northwest coast. It's a place where the young come to party at weekends. High-end bars such as Aurus are playgrounds for children of the elite and Bollywood stars. Some of Juhu's best cocktails can be supped at the Beach Comber bar in the Sun'n'Sand Hotel.
But finer flavours are found in a far more modest environment. Set back from the beach is a densely packed encampment of stalls selling some of the best street snacks in Asia: chaat, bajji, and dahi puri — crunchy balls of puffed rice filled with yoghurt, tamarind chutney and sev (fried flour that looks like a thin, crispy noodle). Dahi puri are an orgy of contrasts - sweet, spicy, gooey, crunchy - and utterly delicious. Plus, they are ludicrously cheap, at about 50 rupees a plate.
"Many guides will warn tourists away from Indian street food but don't be scared," advises Randeria. "I hear more stories of food poisoning from salads at bland Western restaurants than from street food, and anyone seriously concerned about hygiene can always bypass meat as there are always just as many vegetarian options on any Indian menu."
One of the best new places serving cheap local food around Juhu is Jantar Mantar. It is clean and friendly and opens late for the clubbing crowd.
His final piece of advice for any first-timer is to explore the side streets and local areas. "It's a good idea to follow your ears and head towards any music because you'll often stumble upon a little festival or some sort of dance party. People here are extremely friendly and welcoming, and they'll be pleased to have you as guests, so you can just join in."
The sun's gone down by the time we make our way, sated, from Juhu beach. We turn corners, following our ears, and head for a final, multicoloured moment in Mumbai.
48hours@scmp.com
Getting there
Jet Airways, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific fly non-stop from Hong Kong to Mumbai.
Staying there
The Taj Mahal Palace, Apollo Bunder, tajhotels.com
Rooms in the Taj Mahal Tower cost from 27,500 rupees (HK$3,460) plus tax
While you're there
- Bombay Electric, 1 Reay House, Best Marg, bombayelectric.in
- Cottage Industries, 1/F Narang House, 34 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg, thecottage.in
- Regal Cinema, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg, Apollo Bunder
- Rhythm House, 40 K Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, rhythmhouse.in
- Old records from Haji Ebrahim, Handiwala Masjid 145, Saifee Jubilee St, shop 7, tel: +91 22 346 6678
- Old movie posters from A. Aziz K. Mansoori, 99 Mutton St,tel: +91 22 343 9284
Eat and drink
- InterContinental Hotel, 135, Marine Dr, Churchgate, intercontinental.com/Mumbai
- Masala Kraft, Taj Mahal Palace, Mahakavi Bhushan Rd, tel: +91 22 6665 3366
- Aurus, Nichani Kutir, 12 Juhu Tara Rd, tel: +91 22 6710 6666
- Sun'n'Sand Hotel, 39 Juhu Tara Rd, tel: +91 22 2620 1811
- Jantar Mantar, next to Juhu Church, Juhu, tel: +91 86553 44771