What is Mumbai? A historical city? A commercial capital? A cultural heritage site? A tinsel town? An utopia for music and art afficiandos? A foodies paradise? Happy to say, it is all of that and much, much more.

Mumbai was formerly the gateway to India. Ships docked into its deep harbour bringing peoples from all over the world to its shores imparting a distinct flavour to this city that slowly and steadily grew from a simple group of seven islands into a megapolis. Hence today, it is not one but many cities rolled into one. It is a melting pot of cultures and traditions, foods and fads, magnificent architectural monuments, crowded chawls and simple gaothans. This multi-faceted and multi-cultural city is pluralistic to the core with its diverse population all living together in harmony (most of the time), proudly sharing their common histories and looking forward to their future destinies. 

So what is the city famed for? Mentioned here are a few to whet your appetite: The Banganga temple stands by a lake that as legend goes, burst forth where the arrow shot by Lord Ram struck the ground. The dhobi ghat, a place where thousands of dhobis (washermen) wash clothes, has entered the Guinness Book of world records. The Dabbawalas skill at logistics had not only intrigued Prince Charles but is being studied in many universities around the globe. The railway network in the city carries more passengers per mile than anywhere else in the world!

In this book, you will learn about the history behind its many places of worship, including the famous Mahalakshmi Temple, Haji Ali Durga and the Mount Mary Church. You will also find out where our national cricket hero, Sachin Tendulkar started his career and the stadium where he scored his first double century. And even more fun, you get to know not only know the delicious mouth-watering specialities of the place; the wada pav, frankie roll and others, but also the people who created them!

Part of the series on the important cities of India, this book, choc-a-bloc with many interesting nuggets of fascinating information, will be enjoyed by children and adults, too. The words, images and design are presented in a manner that is sure to inspire and excite your children to dig deeper and perhaps want to read other books to find out more about this multi-faceted city.

So, go ahead and get this book and others in the series and watch your child get transformed into the family tour guide!