Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra and the financial
capital of India was called Bombay by the Portuguese after the
name of the goddess Mumbai Devi.
It is located on the west coast
of India, which was the scene of great commercial and maritime
activities from the 6th century B.C. and had flourishing trade with the
ancient civilizations like Egyptian, Romen, Greek and summerian
civilization.
Mumbai is situated at Latitude 18°.55”.N.Longitude 72°.52”
E. It is between the long arm of the sea at the east of the island
and the main land that proved one of the finest natural harbours of
the world. It has a channel deep enough for the greatest ships to
pass and could ride Land Locked within the bay and sheltered
totally from the wind and weather. Hence, it is naturally protected
harbour and city which is built on a cluster of seven islands. It
seems that human habitation existed on the island since the Stone
Age and the Kolis were the earliest inhabitants of the island. The
Mauryan Empire controlled Mumbai and the neighbouring islands in
the 3rd century BC and the Satvahans, Vakatakas, Kalchuris,
Chalukyas, Rastrakutas and the Silharas ruled the islands
subsequently till the thirteenth century A. D. The islands came
under the control of the Muslim rulers of Gujrath in 1348, who
shifted them to the Portuguese in 1534 by the Treaty of Bassein.
The Britishers received these islands in 1661 as a part of the dowry
if the marriage of their King Charles II with Chaterine of Braganza,
the princes of Portugal. The British King leased the island of
Mumbai to the East India Company in 1668 for Rs.10/- annually.
