Click here for a more detailed pre-1947 history of Bombay.
Bombay
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Unlike Delhi or Calcutta, this
city really began to develop
in the 20th century. It was originally a collection of
islands that were given to the British as dowry for Catherine of
Braganza when she married Charles II. The city was then leased to
the East India Company for ten pounds of gold. The Parsi and
Gujrati businessmen settled here along with the existing
Koli fisherfolk.
With the development of the port in Bombay, the economy of the city grew. It had a natural port and soon became the mainstay of Indian trade. Since it has been the epicenter of trade in India, it has become the most cosmopolitan city in the country. The film industry grew and even more people flooded in. Bombay is now populated city in India. It is one of the few Indian cities in which the local community does not represent a majority. This has made it a melting pot of many cultures. |
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The Gateway of India was built to welcome
Prince George to India.
Click here for a more detailed pre-1947 history of Bombay. |