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148-512: In 1497 on the first Portuguese India Armadas expedition to India , Diogo Dias served as escrivão ( clerk ) aboard Vasco da Gama 's flagship São Gabriel . Dias was one of the main conduits between Gama and the Zamorin of Calicut , and was briefly taken prisoner by the Zamorin when negotiations became contentious. In 1500, Diogo Dias accompanied the 2nd armada of Pedro Álvares Cabral as one of

296-475: A 'resident of'. The term had been in use for quite some time but it gained popularity after the official name change to Mumbai. Older terms such as Bombayite are also used. Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands : Isle of Bombay , Parel , Mazagaon , Mahim , Colaba , Worli , and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba ). It is not exactly known when these islands were first inhabited. Pleistocene sediments found along

444-506: A Madagascar-hugging route cleared up the longitude problem, it was also abundant in fearful obstacles – coral islets, atolls, shoals, protruding rocks, submerged reefs, made for a particularly nerve-wracking experience to navigate, especially at night or in bad weather. To avoid the worst consequences of doubling Cape Correntes, India ships stayed as far from the African coast as possible but not so close to Madagascar to run into its traps. To find

592-467: A Portuguese explorer is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Portuguese India Armadas The Portuguese Indian Armadas ( Portuguese : Armadas da Índia ; meaning "Armadas of India") were the fleets of ships funded by the Crown of Portugal , and dispatched on an annual basis from Portugal to India . The principal destination was Goa , and previously Cochin . These armadas undertook

740-532: A common reference point). It was around here that the all-important southwesterly monsoon winds began to pick up. The armada would then sail east, and let the monsoon carry them headlong across the Indian Ocean until India, presuming the armada arrived at the equator sometime in August. In Pimentel's (1746) estimation, ships had to leave Mozambique before August 25 to avail themselves of the summer monsoon. If, however,

888-482: A different story. The principal worry of the return fleets was the fast dangerous waters of the inner Mozambican channel, which was particularly precarious for heavily loaded and less maneuverable ships. In the initial decades, the return fleet usually set out from Cochin in December, although that was eventually pushed forward to January. January 20 was the critical date, after which all return fleets were obliged to follow

1036-575: A long moving sandbank and hazardous shoals, making it quite unsuitable as a stop for the India armadas. So in 1507, the 9th Portuguese India Armada (Mello, 1507) seized Mozambique Island and erected a fortress there (Fort São Gabriel, later replaced by Fort São Sebastião in 1558), to use its spacious and well-sheltered harbor. The principal drawback was that Mozambique Island was parched and infertile. It produced practically nothing locally, and even had to ferry drinkable water by boat from elsewhere. Replenishing

1184-482: A memorial to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, Flora Fountain was renamed as Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square) and a memorial was erected. The following decades saw massive expansion of the city and its suburbs. In the late 1960s, Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade were reclaimed and developed. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) was established on 26 January 1975 by

1332-445: A myriad of uses. Caravels served as forward lamp, scouts and fighting ships of the convoy. Caravels on the India run were often destined to remain overseas for coastal patrol duty, rather than return with the main fleet. Mumbai (Bombay) Mumbai ( / m ʊ m ˈ b aɪ / muum- BY ; ISO : Muṁbaī , Marathi: [ˈmumbəi] ), formerly known as Bombay ( / b ɒ m ˈ b eɪ / bom- BAY ),

1480-487: A new rule was introduced whereby return fleets from Goa were allowed to use the inner route, but return fleets from Cochin still had to use the outer route. With the entry of Dutch and English competition in the 1590s, the start of the return legs were delayed until February and March, with the predictable upsurge in lost and weather-delayed ships. Arrival times in Portugal varied, usually between mid-June and late August. It

1628-494: A new state of Maharashtra was created with Mumbai as the capital. Mumbai is the financial , commercial, and entertainment capital of South Asia . Mumbai is often compared to New York , and the city is home to the Bombay Stock Exchange , situated on Dalal Street . It is also one of the world's top ten centres of commerce in terms of global financial flow, generating 6.16% of India's GDP, and accounting for 25% of

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1776-599: A niche for itself in the information technology industry. The Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) and the International Infotech Park ( Navi Mumbai ) offer excellent facilities to IT companies. State and central government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce. Mumbai also has a large unskilled and semi-skilled self-employed population, who primarily earn their livelihood as hawkers, taxi drivers, mechanics, and other such blue collar professions. The port and shipping industry

1924-504: A one-bedroom apartment in Mumbai proper is around ₹30,000, while according to ResearchGate, 25% of Mumbai households have a monthly income of less than ₹12,500. The overall average salary in Mumbai is ₹45,000. This means that the vast majority of conventional housing is out of bounds for many Mumbai residents, leading many to rely on informal housing. Greater Mumbai (or Brihanmumbai), an area of 603 km (233 sq mi), consisting of

2072-435: A pilot miscalculated and charted a course too close to the African coast, the current ran south, the winds were light or non-existent, subject to arbitrary gusts from strange directions, and the coasts were littered with shoals . Into this dreaded mix, Cape Correntes added its own special terror to the experience. The Cape was not only a confluence point of opposing winds, which created unpredictable whirlwinds, it also produced

2220-486: A poor harbor; although waters were kept calm by an offshore reef, the anchorage area was littered with shoals. It did, however, have a peculiar protruding rock that served as a decent natural pier for loading and unloading goods. Malindi's other advantage was that, at 3º15'S, it was practically at exactly the right latitude to catch the southwesterly monsoon for an Indian Ocean crossing. Plenty of experienced Indian Ocean pilots – Swahili, Arab or Gujarati – could be found in

2368-474: A station in western India. On 11 May 1661, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza , daughter of King John IV of Portugal , placed the islands in possession of the English Empire , as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles. However, Salsette , Bassein , Mazagaon , Parel , Worli , Sion , Dharavi , and Wadala still remained under Portuguese possession. From 1665 to 1666,

2516-493: A strange and extraordinarily fast southerly current, violent enough to break a badly-sewn ship, and confusing enough to throw all reckoning out the window and lure pilots into grievous errors. The temptation would be to err in the opposite direction, and keep on pushing east until the island of Madagascar was sighted, then move up the channel (the current here ran north), keeping the Madagascar coast in sight at all times. Although

2664-495: A total wealth of around $ 960 billion, it is the richest Indian city and one of the richest cities in the world. As of 2008 , the Globalization and World Cities Study Group (GaWC) has ranked Mumbai as an "Alpha world city", third in its categories of Global cities . Mumbai is the third most expensive office market in the world, and was ranked among the fastest cities in the country for business startup in 2009. However, it

2812-775: A virtually rainless period extending from October to May and an extremely wet period peaking in July. A cooler season from December to February is followed by a hotter season from March to May. The period from June to about the end of September constitutes the south west monsoon season, and October and November form the post-monsoon season. Between June and September, the South-west monsoon rains occur in Mumbai. Pre-monsoon showers are received in May. Occasionally, north-east monsoon showers occur in October and November. The maximum annual rainfall ever recorded

2960-573: Is also commonly referred to as the Island City or South Mumbai . The total area of Mumbai is 603.4 square kilometres (233.0 sq mi). Of this, the island city spans 67.79 square kilometres (26.17 sq mi), while the suburban district spans 370 square kilometres (140 sq mi), together accounting for 437.71 square kilometres (169.00 sq mi) under the administration of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). The remaining areas belong to various Defence establishments,

3108-440: Is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed by the state government . Although the municipal corporation is the legislative body that lays down policies for the governance of the city, it is the commissioner who is responsible for the execution of the policies. The commissioner is appointed for a fixed term as defined by state statute. The powers of the commissioner are those provided by statute and those delegated by

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3256-553: Is estimated that of all the ships lost on the India Run, nearly 30% of them capsized or ran aground around here - more than any other place. The ideal passage through the Mozambique Channel would be to sail straight north through the middle of the channel, where a steady favorable wind could be relied upon at this season, but this was a particularly hard task in an era where longitude was determined largely by dead reckoning . If

3404-457: Is important to acknowledge that Mumbai faces important challenges regarding income inequality. Despite having the largest concentration of billionaires out of any city in Asia, Mumbai is one of the most unequal cities in the world. Like other Indian metropolitan cities, Mumbai is in desperate need of affordable housing infrastructure for its lower and lower-middle class citizens. The median rental cost of

3552-406: Is in charge of the civic and infrastructure needs of the metropolis. The mayor, who serves for a term of 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years, is chosen through an indirect election by the councillors from among themselves. The municipal commissioner is the chief executive officer and head of the executive arm of the municipal corporation. All executive powers are vested in the municipal commissioner who

3700-536: Is on a narrow peninsula on the southwest of Salsette Island , which lies between the Arabian Sea to the west, Thane Creek to the east and Vasai Creek to the north. Mumbai's suburban district occupies most of the island. Navi Mumbai is east of Thane Creek and Thane is north of Vasai Creek . Mumbai consists of two distinct regions: Mumbai City district and Mumbai Suburban district , which form two separate revenue districts of Maharashtra. The city district region

3848-428: Is reported to have been as large as 600 tons. The rapid doubling and tripling of the size of Portuguese carracks in a few years reflected the needs of the India runs. The rate of increase tapered off thereafter. For much of the remainder of the 16th century, the average carrack on the India run was probably around 400 tons. In the 1550s, during the reign of John III , a few 900-ton behemoths were built for India runs, in

3996-590: Is that outbound ships tried to steer clear from the South African coast, to avoid the rushing waters of the contrary Agulhas Current . The exception was the Agoada de São Brás ( Mossel Bay , South Africa), a watering stop after the Cape. It was not always used on the outbound journey since individual ships often charted wide routes around the Cape, and sighted coast again only well after this point. However, ships damaged during

4144-517: Is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra . Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12.5 million (1.25  crore ). Mumbai is the centre of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region , the sixth-most populous metropolitan area in the world with a population of over 23 million (2.3 crore). Mumbai lies on

4292-419: Is the commercial capital of India and has evolved into a global financial hub. For several decades it has been the home of India's main financial services companies, and a focus for both infrastructure development and private investment. From being an ancient fishing community and a colonial centre of trade, Mumbai has become South Asia's largest city and home of the world's most prolific film industry. Mumbai

4440-403: Is well established, with Mumbai Port being one of the oldest and most significant ports in India. Dharavi , in central Mumbai, has an increasingly large recycling industry, processing recyclable waste from other parts of the city; the district has an estimated 15,000 single-room factories. As of 2024, Mumbai is home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world. With

4588-586: The Carreira da Índia ( ' India Run ' ) from Portugal , following the maritime discovery of the Cape route , to the Indian subcontinent by Vasco da Gama in 1497–99. The annual Portuguese India armada was the main carrier of the spice trade between Europe and Asia during the 16th Century. The Portuguese monopoly on the Cape route was maintained for a century, until it was breached by Dutch and English competition in

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4736-523: The Lok Sabha discussions in 1955, the Congress party demanded that the city be constituted as an autonomous city-state. The States Reorganisation Committee recommended a bilingual state for Maharashtra– Gujarat with Mumbai as its capital in its 1955 report. Bombay Citizens' Committee , an advocacy group of leading Gujarati industrialists lobbied for Mumbai's independent status. Following protests during

4884-607: The New York of India , is India's most populous city and is the financial and commercial capital of the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP. It serves as an economic hub of India; as of 2006, Mumbai contributed 10% of the nation's factory employment, 25% of industrial output, 33% of income tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade , and ₹ 40 billion (equivalent to ₹ 130 billion or US$ 1.5 billion in 2023) in corporate taxes . Along with

5032-583: The São Gabriel of Gama's 1497 fleet, one of the largest of the time, was only 120 tons. But this was quickly increased as the India run got underway. In the 1500 Cabral armada, the largest carracks, Cabral's flagship and the El-Rei , are reported to have been somewhere between 240 and 300 tons. The Flor de la Mar , built in 1502, was a 400-ton nau, while at least one of the naus of the Albuquerque armada of 1503

5180-667: The English gained possession of the city in the 17th century, the Portuguese name was anglicised as Bombay . Ali Muhammad Khan, imperial dewan or revenue minister of the Gujarat province, in the Mirat-i Ahmedi (1762) referred to the city as Manbai . The French traveller Louis Rousselet , who visited in 1863 and 1868, states in his book L'Inde des Rajahs , which was first published in 1877: "Etymologists have wrongly derived this name from

5328-558: The Eritrean coast, in a desperate search for water and food for his rapidly dying crew. By the time he left there, Dias had only six crewmen left. Unable to find Cabral, Diogo Dias' ship hobbled back home alone. Nicolau Coelho , leading the vanguard of Cabral's returning armada, finally stumbled upon the weary Dias at the watering stop of Bezeguiche (Bay of Dakar , Senegal) in June 1501. They returned to Lisbon together. This article about

5476-626: The Fortune Global 500 companies are based in Mumbai. This is facilitated by the presence of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), and financial sector regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Until the 1970s, Mumbai owed its prosperity largely to textile mills and the seaport , but

5624-905: The Government of India and the Consulate General of the United States, Mumbai monitor and publicly share real-time air quality data. In December 2019, IIT Bombay , in partnership with the McKelvey School of Engineering of Washington University in St. Louis launched the Aerosol and Air Quality Research Facility to study air pollution in Mumbai, among other Indian cities. Mumbai has been ranked 24th best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' Mumbai, sometimes described as

5772-563: The Government of Maharashtra as an apex body for planning and co-ordination of development activities in the Mumbai metropolitan region . In August 1979, a sister township of New Mumbai was founded by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) across the Thane and Raigad districts to help the dispersal and control of Mumbai's population. The textile industry in Mumbai largely disappeared after

5920-542: The Hindi and Marathi film industries. Mumbai's business opportunities attract migrants from all over India. The name Mumbai ( Marathi : मुंबई ) originated from Mumbā or Mahā-Ambā —the name of the patron Hindu goddess ( kuladevata ) Mumbadevi of the native Koli community —and from ā'ī , meaning "mother" in the Marathi language , which is the mother tongue of the Koli people and

6068-517: The Indian Ocean . The monsoon was a southwesterly wind (i.e. blew from East Africa to India) in the summer (between May and September) and then abruptly reversed itself and became a northeasterly (from India to Africa) in the winter (between October and April). The ideal timing was to pass the Cape of Good Hope around June–July and get to the East African middle coast by August, just in time to catch

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6216-553: The Konkan coast on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour . In 2008, Mumbai was named an alpha world city . Mumbai has the highest number of billionaires out of any city in Asia . The seven islands that constitute Mumbai were earlier home to communities of Marathi language -speaking Koli people . For centuries, the seven islands of Bombay were under the control of successive indigenous rulers before being ceded to

6364-483: The Mithi River originates from Tulsi Lake and gathers water overflowing from Vihar and Powai Lakes. The coastline of the city is indented with numerous creeks and bays, stretching from the Thane creek on the eastern to Madh Marve on the western front. The eastern coast of Salsette Island is covered with large mangrove swamps , rich in biodiversity, while the western coast is mostly sandy and rocky. Soil cover in

6512-686: The Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts, extends from Colaba in the south, to Mulund and Dahisar in the north, and Mankhurd in the east. Its population as per the 2011 census was 12,442,373. It is administered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) (sometimes referred to as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai ), formerly known as the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC). The BMC

6660-706: The Mumbai Port Trust , the Atomic Energy Commission and the Borivali National Park, which are out of the jurisdiction of the MCGM. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region which includes portions of Thane , Palghar and Raigad districts in addition to Greater Mumbai, covers an area of 4,355 square kilometres (1,681 sq mi). Mumbai lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River on the western coast of India, in

6808-574: The Portuguese Empire , and subsequently to the East India Company in 1661, through the dowry of Catherine Braganza when she was married off to Charles II of England . Beginning in 1782, Mumbai was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project, which undertook reclamation of the area between the seven islands from the Arabian Sea . Along with the construction of major roads and railways ,

6956-722: The São Bento (900 tons, built 1551, wrecked 1554) and the largest of them all, the Nossa Senhora da Graça (1,000 tons, built 1556, wrecked 1559). These kind of losses prompted King Sebastian to issue an ordinance in 1570 setting the upper limit to the size of India naus at 450 tons. Nonetheless, after the Iberian Union of 1580, this regulation would be ignored and shipbuilders, probably urged on by merchants hoping to turn around more cargo on every trip, pushed for larger ships. The size of India naus accelerated again, averaging 600 tons in

7104-568: The Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese Empire on 23 December 1534. According to the treaty, the Seven Islands of Bombay, the nearby strategic town of Bassein and its dependencies were offered to the Portuguese. The territories were later surrendered on 25 October 1535. The Portuguese were actively involved in the foundation and growth of their Roman Catholic religious orders in Bombay. They called

7252-706: The Treaty of Surat (1775), the British formally gained control of Salsette and Bassein, resulting in the First Anglo-Maratha War . The British were able to secure Salsette from the Marathas without violence through the Treaty of Purandar (1776) , and later through the Treaty of Salbai (1782), signed to settle the outcome of the First Anglo-Maratha War. From 1782 onwards, the city was reshaped with large-scale civil engineering projects aimed at merging all

7400-579: The demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya , the city was rocked by the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1992–93 in which more than 1,000 people were killed. In March 1993, a series of 13 coordinated bombings at several city landmarks by Islamic extremists and the Mumbai underworld resulted in 257 deaths and over 700 injuries. In 2006, 209 people were killed and over 700 injured when seven bombs exploded on

7548-686: The equatorial latitude on the East African coast by late August would be stuck in Africa and have to wait until next spring to undertake an Indian Ocean crossing, and would then have to wait in India until the winter to begin their return, so any delay in East Africa during those critical few weeks of August could end up adding an entire extra year to a ship's journey. The circumnavigation of Madagascar opened an alternative route to get to India, which gave more flexibility in timing. The rule that quickly emerged

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7696-650: The seven islands of Bombay into a single amalgamated mass by way of a causeway called the Hornby Vellard , which was completed by 1784. In 1817, the British East India Company under Mountstuart Elphinstone defeated Baji Rao II , the last of the Maratha Peshwa in the Battle of Khadki . Following his defeat, almost the whole of the Deccan Plateau came under British suzerainty, and was incorporated into

7844-499: The "cape of storms"–was a very challenging headland on the India Run. The outbound crossing was always difficult, and many a ship was lost here. Larger armadas often broke up into smaller squadrons to attempt the crossing, and would re-collect only on the other side – indeed quite far on the other side. There was usually no stop or collection point after the Cape crossing until well inside the Mozambique Channel . The reason for this

7992-473: The "outer route" – that is, strike out straight east from South Africa, go under the southern tip of Madagascar, and then turn up from there, taking a northerly path through the Mascarenes islands, across the open ocean to India. While the outer route did not have the support of African staging posts and important watering stops, it sidestepped sailing directly against the post-summer monsoon. Return fleets were

8140-410: The 1580–1600 period, with several spectacularly large naus of 1500 tons or greater making their appearance in the 1590s. If the lesson was not quite learned then, it was certainly learned in August, 1592, when English privateer Sir John Burroughs (alt. Burrows, Burgh) captured the Madre de Deus in the waters around the Azores islands (see Battle of Flores ). The Madre de Deus , built in 1589,

8288-461: The 16th century, the Portuguese India armada stabilized at 5-6 ships annually, with very few exceptions (above seven in 1551 and 1590, below 4 in 1594 and 1597). Organization was principally in the hands of the Casa da Índia , the royal trading house established around 1500 by King Manuel I of Portugal . The Casa was in charge of monitoring the crown monopoly on India trade – receiving goods, collecting duties , assembling, maintaining and scheduling

8436-436: The Bombay Presidency. The success of the British campaign in the Deccan marked the end of all attacks by native powers. By 1845, the seven islands coalesced into a single landmass by the Hornby Vellard project via large scale land reclamation . On 16 April 1853, India's first passenger railway line was established, connecting Mumbai to the neighbouring town of Thana (now Thane). During the American Civil War (1861–1865),

8584-524: The Cape Verde peninsula, were the usual first stop for India-bound ships. Relative scarcity of water and supplies on the islands made this a sub-optimal stop, but the islands (especially Santiago ) served as a harbor against storms and were frequently a pre-arranged point for the collection and repair of damaged ships. The Angra de Bezeguiche (Bay of Dakar , Senegal) was a common watering stop for ships after doubling Cape Verde. The shores were controlled by Wolof and Serer kingdoms, whose relations with

8732-450: The Cape of Storms) with Pedro Álvares Cabral and his brother, Dias's ship got separated from the main fleet during the crossing of Cape of Good Hope (his brother's ship was lost during that crossing). Having struck a route too far east, Dias was the first European to sight the island of Madagascar and is often credited with naming the island of São Lourenço , on account of it being found on St. Lawrence 's day (10 August 1500). Although

8880-402: The Cape, provisions had grown stale, scurvy and dysentery had often set in, and deaths of crews and passengers from disease had begun. The ship itself, so long at sea without re-caulking or re-painting, was in a fragile state. To then force the miserable ship through the mast-cracking tempests of Cape of Good Hope, the seam-ripping violent waters of Cape Correntes and the treacherous rocks of

9028-424: The Delhi Sultanate. The islands were later governed by the independent Gujarat Sultanate , which was established in 1407. As a result of the Sultanate's support, numerous mosques were built, with one notable example being the Haji Ali Dargah in Worli . Erected in 1431, this magnificent structure pays homage to the revered Muslim saint, Haji Ali. From 1429 to 1431, the islands were a source of contention between

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9176-453: The East African coast to Mozambique Island before the armada's scheduled arrival. The Mozambican factor also collected East African trade goods that could be picked up by the armadas and sold profitably in Indian markets – notably gold , ivory , copper , pearls and coral . After Mozambique, the rule for the India armadas was generally to continue sailing north until they reached the equator latitude (the Seychelles islands, at 4ºS, were

9324-537: The English crown. The loss of so much cargo in one swoop confirmed, once again, the folly of building such gigantic ships. The carracks built for the India run returned to their smaller size after the turn of the century. In the early Carreira da India , the carracks were usually accompanied by smaller caravels ( caravelas ), averaging 50–70 tons (rarely reaching 100), and capable of holding 20–30 men at most. Whether lateen-rigged ( latina ) or square-rigged ( redonda ), these shallow-drafted, nimble vessels had

9472-449: The English managed to acquire Mahim, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala. In accordance with the Royal Charter of 27 March 1668 , England leased these islands to the English East India Company in 1668 for a sum of £ 10 per annum. The population quickly rose from 10,000 in 1661, to 60,000 in 1675. The islands were subsequently attacked by Yakut Khan , the Muslim Koli admiral of the Mughal Empire , in October 1672, Rickloffe van Goen ,

9620-462: The English name to Mumbai in November 1995. This came at the insistence of the Marathi nationalist Shiv Sena party, which had just won the Maharashtra state elections, and mirrored similar name changes across the country and particularly in Maharashtra. According to Slate magazine, "they argued that 'Bombay' was a corrupted English version of 'Mumbai' and an unwanted legacy of British colonial rule." Slate also said "The push to rename Bombay

9768-415: The Governor-General of Dutch India on 20 February 1673, and Siddi admiral Sambal on 10 October 1673. In 1687, the English East India Company transferred its headquarters from Surat to Mumbai. The city eventually became the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency . Following the transfer, Mumbai was placed at the head of all the company's establishments in India. Towards the end of the 17th century,

9916-414: The Gujarat Sultanate and the Bahmani Sultanate of Deccan. In 1493, Bahadur Khan Gilani of the Bahmani Sultanate attempted to conquer the islands but was defeated. The Mughal Empire , founded in 1526, was the dominant power in the Indian subcontinent during the mid-16th century. Growing apprehensive of the power of the Mughal emperor Humayun , Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was obliged to sign

10064-403: The India run back to Portugal and for runs to further points east. The return voyage was shorter than the outbound. The fleet left India in December, picking up the northeast monsoon towards the African coast. Passing through the Mozambique Channel, the fleet kept close to land to avoid the westerlies and catch the Agulhas Current to round the Cape of Good Hope. Once in the Atlantic, it caught

10212-404: The Indian union were integrated into the state. Subsequently, the city became the capital of Bombay State. In April 1950, Municipal limits of Mumbai were expanded by merging the Mumbai Suburban District and Mumbai City to form the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The Samyukta Maharashtra movement to create a separate Maharashtra state including Mumbai was at its height in the 1950s. In

10360-435: The Island City, the average maximum temperature is 31 °C (88 °F), while the average minimum temperature is 24 °C (75 °F). In the suburbs, the daily mean maximum temperature range from 29 °C (84 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F), while the daily mean minimum temperature ranges from 16 °C (61 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F). The record high is 42.2 °C (108 °F) set on 14 April 1952, and

10508-434: The Portuguese Bôa Bahia, or (French: "bonne bai", English: "good bay"), not knowing that the tutelar goddess of this island has been, from remote antiquity, Bomba, or Mumba Devi , and that she still ... possesses a temple". By the late 20th century, the city was referred to as Mumbai or Mambai in Marathi, Konkani , Gujarati , Kannada and Sindhi , and as Bambai in Hindi . The Government of India officially changed

10656-574: The Portuguese India armadas, except in emergencies. The first real obstacle on the route was the Cape Verde peninsula (Cap-Vert, Senegal ), around which the Canary Current ends and the equatorial drift begins. Although not difficult to double, it was a concentration point of sudden storms and Cape Verde-type hurricanes , so ships were frequently damaged. The Cape Verde islands , to the west of

10804-501: The Portuguese were ambivalent, so a warm reception on the mainland could not always be counted on. In the middle of the bay was the island of Gorée ( ilha de Bezeguiche ), a safe anchoring spot, but the island itself lacked drinkable water. As a result, ships frequently watered and repaired at certain mainland points along the Petite Côte of Senegal such as Rio Fresco (now Rufisque ) and Porto de Ale (now Saly-Portudal ). It

10952-408: The Portuguese were establishing themselves in India, the armadas averaged around fifteen ships per year. This declined to around ten from 1510–1525. From 1526 to the 1540s, the armadas declined further to 7-8 ships per year — with a few exceptional cases of large armadas (e.g. 1533, 1537, 1547) brought about by military exigency, but also several years of exceptionally small fleets. In the second half of

11100-656: The Portuguese word "bom" with the English "bay", from the English version of the name. In 1516, Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa used the name Tana-Maiambu : Tana appears to refer to the adjoining town of Thane and Maiambu to Mumbadevi . The form Bombaim is still commonly used in Portuguese. Other variations recorded in the 16th and the 17th centuries include: Mombayn (1525), Bombay (1538), Bombain (1552), Bombaym (1552), Monbaym (1554), Mombaim (1563), Mombaym (1644), Bambaye (1666), Bombaiim (1666), Bombeye (1676), Boon Bay (1690) and Bon Bahia . After

11248-499: The Portuguese, it had the earliest Portuguese factory and fort in India, and served as the headquarters of Portuguese government and operations in India for the first decades. However, this changed after the Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510. The capture of Goa had been largely motivated by the desire to find a replacement for Anjediva as the first anchoring point for the armadas. Anjediva had proven itself to be far from ideal. The island

11396-601: The West African coast as long as possible, until the doldrums hit (usually around Sierra Leone), then to strike southwest sharply, drift over the doldrums and then catch the South Equatorial Current (the top arm of the South Atlantic gyre) towards the coast of Brazil . This was usually referred to as following the volta do mar (literally, 'turn of the sea', i.e. the South Atlantic gyre). The volta do mar

11544-453: The armada arrived in the latter part of the season, say September, turning at the equator was a risky route. The southwesterly monsoon might be blowing in the right direction at the moment, but the ship ran the risk of not reaching a safe Indian port before the monsoon reversed direction (usually around late September to early October, when it became a northeasterly). So a late season ship was usually stuck in Africa until next April. Notice that

11692-485: The armada down to Cochin prevented Portuguese squads from Cochin racing up to rescue it. The Portuguese had tried setting up a fort in Anjediva, but it was captured and dismantled by forces on behalf of Bijapur. As a result, the Portuguese governor Afonso de Albuquerque decided the nearby island-city of Goa was preferable and forcibly seized it in 1510. Thereafter Goa, with its better harbor and greater supply base, served as

11840-465: The captains of the fleet, with a commission to open trade at Sofala . Diogo Dias was one of the first to go ashore in the discovery of Brazil in April 1500. Famously, Dias is credited for breaking the ice with the wary Tupiniquim on the beach by jumping into an impromptu joyful dance to the accompaniment of Tupi pipes. During an expedition along the Cape of Good Hope (Diogo may have originally called it

11988-583: The channel, turned this final stage into a veritable hell for all aboard. Mozambique Island was originally an outpost of the Kilwa Sultanate , a collection of Muslim Swahili cities along the East African coast, centered at Kilwa , that formed a Medieval commercial empire from Cape Correntes in the south to the Somali borderlands in the north, what is sometimes called the " Swahili Coast ". The Kilwa Sultanate began disintegrating into independent city-states around

12136-472: The city became the world's chief cotton-trading market, resulting in a boom in the economy that subsequently enhanced the city's stature. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Mumbai into one of the largest seaports on the Arabian Sea . In September 1896, Mumbai was hit by a bubonic plague epidemic where the death toll was estimated at 1,900 people per week. About 850,000 people fled Mumbai and

12284-511: The city like the Bombay Castle , Castella de Aguada (Castelo da Aguada or Bandra Fort), and Madh Fort . The English were in constant struggle with the Portuguese vying for hegemony over Mumbai, as they recognised its strategic natural harbour and its natural isolation from land attacks. By the middle of the 17th century the growing power of the Dutch Empire forced the English to acquire

12432-401: The city region is predominantly sandy due to its proximity to the sea. In the suburbs, the soil cover is largely alluvial and loamy. The underlying rock of the region is composed of black Deccan basalt flows, and their acidic and basic variants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene eras. Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone owing to the presence of 23 fault lines in

12580-505: The city's commuter trains . In 2008, a series of ten coordinated attacks by armed terrorists for three days resulted in 173 deaths, 308 injuries, and severe damage to several heritage landmarks and prestigious hotels. The three coordinated bomb explosions in July 2011 that occurred at the Opera house , Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar were the latest in the series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai which resulted in 26 deaths and 130 injuries. Mumbai

12728-418: The city, and Malindi was likely to have the latest news from across the sea, so it was a very convenient stop for the Portuguese before a crossing. However, stops take time, which, given the imminent monsoon reversal, was a scarce commodity. If the armada had been decently equipped enough at Mozambique island, a stop at Malindi, however delightful or useful, was an unnecessary and risky expenditure of time. With

12876-533: The city: Vihar , Lower Vaitarna , Upper Vaitarna , Tulsi , Tansa and Powai . Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake are located in Borivili National Park , within the city's limits. The supply from Powai lake, also within the city limits, is used only for agricultural and industrial purposes. Three small rivers, the Dahisar River , Poinsar (or Poisar) and Ohiwara (or Oshiwara) originate within the park, while

13024-759: The coastal areas around Kandivali in northern Mumbai suggest that the islands were inhabited since the South Asian Stone Age . Perhaps at the beginning of the Common Era , or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by the Koli fishing community. In the 3rd century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire , during its expansion in the south, ruled by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka of Magadha . The Kanheri Caves in Borivali were excavated from basalt rock in

13172-413: The coastal region known as the Konkan . It sits on Salsette Island (Sashti Island), which it partially shares with the Thane district . Mumbai is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west. Many parts of the city lie just above sea level, with elevations ranging from 10 to 15 metres (33 to 49 ft); the city has an average elevation of 14 metres (46 ft). Northern Mumbai (Salsette) is hilly, and

13320-629: The control of successive indigenous dynasties : Satavahanas , Western Satraps , Abhira , Vakataka , Kalachuris , Konkan Mauryas , Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas , before being ruled by the Shilaharas from 810 to 1260. Some of the oldest edifices in the city built during this period are the Jogeshwari Caves (between 520 and 525), Elephanta Caves (between the sixth to seventh century), Walkeshwar Temple (10th century), and Banganga Tank (12th century). King Bhimdev founded his kingdom in

13468-406: The crossing frequently had no choice but to put in there for emergency repairs. Trade for food supplies with the pastoral Khoikhoi peoples that lived in the area was frequent (although there were also occasional skirmishes). São Brás was a more frequent stop on the return journey, as a place to repair the ships before doubling the Cape the other way. As a result, particularly in early years, São Brás

13616-463: The crossing of the Cape of Good Hope. The island had a town and a fortress, so some stock of supplies was usually at hand. The conditions of the ships by the time they reached Mozambique was often woeful. With the occasional exception of Cape Santo Agostinho and Mossel Bay, there were no stops between Cape Verde and Mozambique Island, an extraordinarily long time for 16th-century ships to remain at sea without repairs, watering, or resupply. Already before

13764-464: The early 1600s. The Portuguese India armadas declined in importance thereafter. During the Dutch occupation of Cochin and the Dutch siege of Goa , the harbour of Bom Bahia , now known as Mumbai (Bombay) , off the coast of the northern Konkan region, served as the standard diversion for the armadas . For a long time after its discovery by Vasco da Gama, the sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope

13912-623: The environs of Pernambuco, the India naus sailed straight south along the Brazil Current, until about the latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn , visibly the Abrolhos islands or the Trindade and Martim Vaz islands, where they began to catch more favorable prevailing westerlies . These would take them quickly straight east, across the South Atlantic, to South Africa. The Cape of Good Hope –once aptly named

14060-507: The evacuation of the residents of those areas to temporary safe camps. Air pollution is a major issue in Mumbai. According to the 2016 World Health Organization Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database, the annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2013 was 63 μg/m , which is 6.3 times higher than that recommended by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines for the annual mean PM2.5. The Central Pollution Control Board for

14208-405: The first anchorage point of Portuguese armadas upon arriving in India. Although Cochin, with its important spice markets, remained the ultimate destination, and was still the official Portuguese headquarters in India until the 1530s, Goa was more favorably located relative to Indian Ocean wind patterns and served as its military-naval center. The docks of Goa were soon producing their own carracks for

14356-572: The first century CE, and served as an important centre of Buddhism in Western India during ancient Times. The city then was known as Heptanesia ( Ancient Greek : A Cluster of Seven Islands) to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 CE. The Mahakali Caves in Andheri were cut out between the 1st century BCE and the 6th century CE. Between the 2nd century BCE and 9th century CE, the islands came under

14504-591: The fleets, contracting private merchants, correspondence with the feitorias (overseas factories ), drafting documents and handling legal matters. Separately from the Casa, but working in coordination with it, was the Armazém das Índias , the royal agency in charge of nautical outfitting, that oversaw the Lisbon docks and naval arsenal. The Armazém was responsible for the training of pilots and sailors, ship construction and repair, and

14652-558: The highest point in the city is 450 metres (1,480 ft) at Salsette in the Powai – Kanheri ranges. The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali National Park) is located partly in the Mumbai suburban district , and partly in the Thane district, and it extends over an area of 103.09 square kilometres (39.80 sq mi). Apart from the Bhatsa Dam , there are six major lakes that supply water to

14800-467: The hope that larger ships would provide economies of scale . The experiment turned out poorly. Not only was the cost of outfitting such a large ship disproportionately high, they proved unmaneuverable and unseaworthy, particularly in the treacherous waters of the Mozambique Channel . Three of the new behemoths were quickly lost on the southern African coast – the São João (900 tons, built 1550, wrecked 1552),

14948-498: The ideal middle route through the channel, pilots tended to rely on two dangerous longitude markers – the Bassas da India and the Europa rocks . Although conveniently situated in the middle of the channel, they were not always visible above the waves, so sailors often watched for hovering clusters of seabirds , which colonized these rocks, as an indicator of their location. Unfortunately, this

15096-559: The island was not unknown; its existence and Arabic name, "Island of the Moon", was already reported by Pêro da Covilhã back in 1490. Dias's subsequent attempts to find the main fleet ended with him mistakenly sailing past Cape Guardafui and into the Gulf of Aden , waters as yet unsailed by Portuguese ships. Trapped by contrary winds, Dias spent several harrowing months in the area. Battered by tempests, attacked by pirates and finally forced aground on

15244-464: The islands again suffered incursions from Yakut Khan in 1689–90. The Portuguese presence ended in Mumbai when the Marathas under Peshwa Baji Rao I captured Salsette in 1737, and Bassein in 1739. By the middle of the 18th century, Mumbai began to grow into a major trading town, and received a huge influx of migrants from across India. Later, the British occupied Salsette on 28 December 1774. With

15392-588: The islands by various names, which finally took the written form Bombaim . The islands were leased to several Portuguese officers during their regime. The Portuguese Franciscans and Jesuits built several churches in the city, prominent being the St. Michael's Church at Mahim (1534), St. John the Baptist Church at Andheri (1579), St. Andrew's Church at Bandra (1580), and Gloria Church at Byculla (1632). The Portuguese also built several fortifications around

15540-687: The islands was not a simple matter. Although Mozambique islanders had established watering holes, gardens and coconut palm groves (essential for timber) just across on the mainland (at Cabaceira inlet), the Bantu inhabitants of the area were generally hostile to both the Swahili and the Portuguese, and often prevented the collection of supplies. So ensuring Mozambique had sufficient supplies presented its own challenges. The Portuguese factors in Mozambique had to ensure enough supplies were shipped in from other points on

15688-519: The local economy has since then diversified to include finance , engineering , diamond-polishing, healthcare , and information technology. The key sectors contributing to the city's economy are: finance, gems & jewellery, leather processing, IT and ITES , textiles, petrochemical, electronics manufacturing, automobiles, and entertainment. Nariman Point and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) are Mumbai's major financial centres. Despite competition from Bangalore , Hyderabad and Pune , Mumbai has carved

15836-506: The monarch.) Ships could be and sometimes were owned and outfitted by private merchants, and these were incorporated into the India armada. However, the expenses of outfitting a ship were immense, and few native Portuguese merchants had the wherewithal to finance one, despite eager government encouragement. In the early India runs, there are several ships organized by private consortiums, often with foreign capital provided by wealthy Italian and German trading houses. This fluctuated over time, as

15984-523: The monsoon, Portuguese India armadas usually arrived in India in early September (sometimes late August). Because of the wind pattern, they usually made landfall around Anjediva island ( Angediva ). From there, the armada furled their square sails and proceed with lateen sails south along the Malabar coast of India to the city of Cochin ( Cochim , Kochi) in Kerala . Cochin was the principal spice port accessible to

16132-487: The movement in which 105 people died in clashes with the police, Bombay State was reorganised on linguistic lines on 1 May 1960. Gujarati -speaking areas of Bombay State were partitioned into the state of Gujarat. Maharashtra State with Mumbai as its capital was formed with the merger of Marathi -speaking areas of Bombay State , eight districts from Central Provinces and Berar , five districts from Hyderabad State , and numerous princely states enclosed between them. As

16280-433: The name "Bombaim" after 1512 in his Lendas da Índia ( Legends of India ). While some Anglophone authors have suggested this name possibly originated as an alleged Galician-Portuguese phrase bom baim , meaning "good little bay", such suggestions lack any scientific basis. Portuguese linguist José Pedro Machado attributes that interpretation to a deficient knowledge of the Portuguese language of these authors, mixing up

16428-407: The nation's industrial output, 70% of maritime trade in India ( Mumbai Port Trust , Dharamtar Port and JNPT ), and 70% of capital transactions to India's economy . The city houses important financial institutions and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations . The city is also home to some of India's premier scientific and nuclear institutes and

16576-501: The official language of Maharashtra. According to certain accounts, the Koli community, which hails from Kathiawar and Central Gujarat , is believed to have introduced their deity Mumba from Kathiawar ( Gujarat ), where her worship continues to this day. However, other sources disagree that Mumbai's name was derived from the goddess Mumba. The oldest known names for the city are Kakamuchee and Galajunkja ; these are sometimes still used. Portuguese writer Gaspar Correia recorded

16724-419: The outer route (east of Madagascar) which was deemed calmer and safer for their precious cargo. That meant they missed the important watering stop on Mozambique island on the return leg and had to put in elsewhere later, such as Mossel Bay or St. Helena . Between 1525 and 1579, all return fleets were ordered to follow the outer route. This rule was temporarily suspended between the 1570s and 1590s. From 1615,

16872-717: The past few decades, the frequency of floods in Mumbai is enormous, the 2005 Mumbai floods are characterised by 500-1000 deaths, household displacements, damaged infrastructure-(including heritage sites), and a financial loss of US$ 1.2 billion. In the process of reducing floods in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government adopted a flood mitigation plan; according to which the drainage system will be restructured, restoration of Mithi River , and re-establishment of informal settlements. Local civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities are assigned to forecast and issue eviction notices while BMC along with NGO's prepare for

17020-560: The procurement and provision of naval equipment – sails, ropes, guns, instruments and, most importantly, maps. The piloto-mor ('chief pilot') of the Armazém, in charge of pilot-training, was, up until 1548, also the keeper of the Padrão Real , the secret royal master map, incorporating all the cartographic details reported by Portuguese captains and explorers, and upon which all official nautical charts were based. The screening and hiring of crews

17168-493: The reclamation project, completed in 1845, transformed Mumbai into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea . Mumbai in the 19th century was characterised by economic and educational development. During the early 20th century it became a strong base for the Indian independence movement . Upon India's independence in 1947 the city was incorporated into Bombay State . In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement ,

17316-522: The record low is 7.4 °C (45 °F) set on 27 January 1962. Tropical cyclones are rare in the city. The worst cyclone to ever impact Mumbai was the one in 1948 where gusts reached 151 km/h (94 mph) in Juhu. The storm left 38 people dead and 47 missing. The storm reportedly impacted Mumbai for 20 hours and left the city devastated. Mumbai is prone to monsoon floods, exacerbated by climate change which affects heavy rains and high tide in

17464-558: The region in the late 13th century and established his capital in Mahikawati (present day Mahim ). The Pathare Prabhus , among the earliest known settlers of the city, were brought to Mahikawati from Saurashtra in Gujarat around 1298 by Bhimdev. The Delhi Sultanate annexed the islands in 1347–48 and controlled it until 1407. During this time, the islands were administered by the Muslim Governors of Gujarat , who were appointed by

17612-664: The rest of India, Mumbai has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991 , the finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in the 2000s. Estimates of the 2016 economy of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have ranged from $ 368 billion to $ 400 billion ( PPP metro GDP ) ranking it either the most or second-most productive metro area of India. Many of India's numerous conglomerates (including Larsen & Toubro , State Bank of India (SBI), Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Tata Group , Godrej and Reliance ), and five of

17760-511: The returning fleet. Portuguese India armadas tended to follow the same outward route. There were several staging posts along the route of the India Run that were repeatedly used. Setting out from Lisbon (February–April), India-bound naus took the Canary Current straight southwest to the Canary Islands . The islands were owned by Castile and so this was not a usual watering stop for

17908-622: The royal duties, costs of outfitting and rate of attrition and risk of loss on India runs were sometimes too high for private houses to bear. Private Portuguese merchants did, however, routinely contract for cargo, carried aboard crown ships for freight charges. Marine insurance was still underdeveloped, although the Portuguese had helped pioneer its development and its practice seemed already customary. The ships of an India armada were typically carracks ( naus ), with sizes that grew over time. The first carracks were modest ships, rarely exceeding 100 tons, carrying only up to 40–60 men; for example,

18056-490: The sea. According to the World Bank , unplanned drainage system and informal settlement is a key factor of frequent floods in Mumbai. Among other causes of flooding in Mumbai is its geographic location , Mumbai urban is peninsular in form, (a land-filled area that connects seven islands) a low laying area, compared to its suburbs that sit on an elevated location. Over the past few decades, new informal settlements were formed in

18204-562: The south equatorial current of the volta do mar , the armada would drift southwest through the doldrums and reach the southbound Brazil Current off the coast of Brazil (around Pernambuco ). Although India naus did not usually stop in Brazil, it was not unheard of to put in a brief watering stop at Cape Santo Agostinho (Pernambuco, Brazil), especially if the southeasterly trade winds were particularly strong (pilots had to be careful not to allow themselves to be caught and driven backwards). From

18352-461: The southeast trade winds and sailed to the west of Ascension and Saint Helena as far as the doldrums. The fleet then sailed almost straight north to the Azores , where it caught the prevailing westerlies and sailed due east into Lisbon. The size of the armada varied, from enormous fleets of over twenty ships to small ones of as few as four. This changed over time. In the first decade (1500–1510), when

18500-448: The southeasterly trade winds and the contrary Benguela Current , a particularly tiresome task for heavy square rigged carracks . However, it sometimes happened that by poor piloting, India naus would be inadvertently caught by the Guinea counter-current and forced to take that route, but such ships would not be likely to reach India that year. Assuming the India armada successfully caught

18648-471: The southern hemisphere, below the doldrums, the counter-clockwise gyre of the South Atlantic and the southeasterly trade winds , prevented sailing directly southeast to the Cape. Passing the doldrums was a navigational challenge, and pilots had to avail themselves deftly of the currents and every little breeze they could get to stay on course. The usual tactic was to proceed south or even southeast along

18796-572: The suburbs, causing a rapid increase in population, improper waste management, and drainage congestion. The rainwater from these areas heavily flows towards low-lying urban areas consisting of some slums and high-rise buildings. As a result, slums are either swamped , washed away, or collapse causing heavy casualties, and post-flood water logging lasts for a long time that causing blockage of railway lines-(most frequently used public transport in Mumbai), traffic snarl, inundated roads, and sub-merged bylanes. Over

18944-459: The summer monsoon winds to India, arriving around early September. The return trip from India would typically begin in January, taking the winter monsoon back to Lisbon along a similar route, arriving by the summer (June–August). Overall, the round trip took a little over a year, minimizing the time at sea. The critical step was ensuring the armada reached East Africa on time. Ships that failed to reach

19092-632: The textile industry was adversely affected. While the city was the capital of the Bombay Presidency , the Indian independence movement fostered the Quit India Movement in 1942 and the Royal Indian Navy mutiny in 1946. After India's independence in 1947, the territory of the Bombay Presidency retained by India was restructured into Bombay State . The area of Bombay State increased, after several erstwhile princely states that joined

19240-462: The time of the Portuguese arrival (1500), a process speeded along by the intrigues and interventions of Portuguese captains. The original object of Portuguese attentions had been the southerly Swahili city of Sofala , the main outlet of the Monomatapa gold trade, and the first Portuguese fortress in East Africa was erected there in 1505 ( Fort São Caetano de Sofala). But Sofala's harbor was marred by

19388-596: The trajectory, as described, skips over nearly all the towns on the East African coast north of Mozambique – Kilwa ( Quíloa ), Zanzibar , Mombasa ( Mombaça ), Malindi ( Melinde ), Barawa ( Brava ), Mogadishu ( Magadoxo ), etc. This is not to say Portuguese did not visit those locations – indeed, some even had Portuguese factories and forts (e.g. Fort Santiago in Kilwa, held from 1505 to 1512). But Portuguese armadas on their way to India did not have to stop at those locations, and so usually did not. The stop on Mozambique island

19536-504: The vicinity. The area is classified as a Seismic Zone III region , which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter magnitude scale may be expected. Mumbai has an extreme tropical wet and dry climate ( Aw ) under the Köppen climate classification , although the central and northern suburbs have a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ) with even heavier wet season rainfall. Mumbai has

19684-467: The waves – but they form a channel of calm waters between themselves and the mainland, a useful shelter for troubled ships. The scheduled stop was a little further north on Mozambique Island , a coral island off the coast, with two outlying smaller islands ( Goa Island , known as São Jorge , and the island of Sena). Mozambique's main attribute was its splendid harbor, which served as the usual first stop and collection point of Portuguese India armadas after

19832-528: The widespread 1982 Great Bombay Textile Strike , in which nearly 250,000 workers in more than 50 textile mills went on strike. Mumbai's defunct cotton mills have since become the focus of intense redevelopment . Industrial development began in Mumbai when its economy started focusing on the petrochemical, electronic, and automotive sectors. In 1954 Hindustan Petroleum commissioned Mumbai Refinery at Trombay and BPCL Refinery . The Jawaharlal Nehru Port , which handles 55–60% of India's containerised cargo,

19980-466: Was 3,452 mm (136 in) for 1954. The highest rainfall recorded in a single day was 944 mm (37 in) on 26 July 2005 . The average total annual rainfall is 2,213.4 mm (87 in) for the Island City, and 2,502.3 mm (99 in) for the suburbs. The average annual temperature is 27 °C (81 °F), and the average annual precipitation is 2,213 mm (87 in). In

20128-402: Was a 1600-ton carrack, with seven decks and a crew of around 600. It was the largest Portuguese ship to go on an India run. The great carrack, under the command of Fernão de Mendonça Furtado, was returning from Cochin with a full cargo when it was captured by Burrough. The value of the treasure and cargo taken on this single ship is estimated to have been equivalent to half the entire treasury of

20276-614: Was commissioned on 26 May 1989 across the creek at Nhava Sheva with a view to de-congest Mumbai Harbour and to serve as a hub port for the city. The geographical limits of Greater Mumbai were coextensive with municipal limits of Greater Mumbai. On 1 October 1990, the Greater Mumbai district was bifurcated to form two revenue districts namely, Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban , though they continued to be administered by same Municipal Administration. The years from 1990 to 2010 saw an increase in violence and terrorism activities. Following

20424-438: Was customary for return fleets to send their fastest ship ahead to announce the results in Lisbon, before the rest of the fleet arrived later that summer. Because of the timing, an armada had to leave Lisbon (February–April) before the previous year's armada returned (June–August). To get news of the latest developments in India, the outgoing armada relied on notes and reports left along the way at various African staging posts by

20572-519: Was dominated by the Portuguese India armada – the annual fleet dispatched from Portugal to India, and after 1505, the Estado da India . Between 1497 and 1650, there were 1033 departures of ships at Lisbon for the Carreira da Índia ("India Run"). The India armada typically left Lisbon and each leg of the voyage took approximately six months. The critical determinant of the timing was the monsoon winds of

20720-417: Was generally undersupplied – it contained only a few fishing villages – but the armada ships were often forced to sojourn there for long periods, usually for repair or to await for better winds to carry them down to Cochin. Anjediva island also lay in precarious pirate-infested waters, on the warring frontier between Muslim Bijapur and Hindu Vijaynagar, which frequently threatened it. The same winds which carried

20868-481: Was not a reliable method, and many an India ship ended up crashing on those rocks. If they succeeded sailing up the middle channel, the India naus usually saw African coast again only around the bend of Angoche . If the ships were in a bad shape, they could stop at the Primeiras Islands (off Angoche) for urgent repairs. The Primeiras are a long row of uninhabited low coral islets – not much more than mounds above

21016-462: Was not unheard of for India naus to water much further south, among the many inlets and islands (e.g. Bissagos ) along the African coast to Sierra Leone . Below Cape Verde, around the latitudes of Sierra Leone, began the Atlantic doldrums , a calm low pressure region on either side of the equator with little or no winds. At this time of year, the doldrums belt usually ranged between 5° N and 5° S. In

21164-464: Was part of a larger movement to strengthen Marathi identity in the Maharashtra region." While Mumbai is still referred to as Bombay by some of its residents and by some Indians from other regions, mention of the city by a name other than Mumbai has been controversial. A resident of Mumbai is called Mumbaikar ( pronounced [ˈmumbəikəɾ] ) in Marathi , in which the suffix -kar means

21312-415: Was that if an outbound armada doubled the Cape of Good Hope before mid-July, then it should follow the old "inner route" – that is, sail into the Mozambique Channel , up the East African coast until the equatorial latitude (around Malindi , in modern-day Kenya ), then take the southwesterly monsoon across the ocean to India. If, however, the armada doubled the Cape after mid-July, then it was obliged to sail

21460-517: Was the function of the provedor of the Armazém. From at least 1511 (perhaps earlier), the offices of the Casa da India were based in the ground floor of the royal Ribeira Palace , by the Terreiro do Paço in Lisbon, with the Armazém nearby. (Neither the Casa nor the Armazem should be confused with the Estado da Índia , the Portuguese colonial government in India, which was separate and reported directly to

21608-451: Was used as a postal station, where messages from the returning armadas would be left for the outward armadas, reporting on the latest conditions in India. If the armada went by the inner route, then the next daunting obstacle was Cape Correntes , at the entrance of the Mozambique Channel. Treacherously fast waters, light winds alternating with unpredictably violent gusts, and dangerous shoals and rocks made this cape particularly dangerous. It

21756-539: Was usually contrasted to the rota da Mina (Mina route). The latter meant striking southeast in the doldrums to catch the Equatorial Counter Current (or Guinea Current) east into the Gulf of Guinea . This was the usual route to the fort of São Jorge da Mina on the Portuguese Gold Coast . This was not part of the India run. The route from Mina down to South Africa involved tacking against

21904-511: Was usually the only necessary one. Nonetheless, if the armada had time, or got into trouble for some reason, the stopping choice was Malindi . A Portuguese ally since the earliest trip of Vasco da Gama in 1498, Malindi could usually be counted on to give a warm reception and had plenty of supplies. Unlike most other Swahili towns, Malindi was on the mainland and had an ample hinterlands with fertile cultivated fields, including groves of oranges and lemons (critical to combat scurvy ). However, it had

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