Indian Independence Movement and 17th Century Bombay
History of Mumbai
Intro
The history of Mumbai recounts the growth of a collection of islands on the western coast of India becoming the commercial and cultural capital of the nation and one of the most populous cities in the world. Although the islands were inhabited by humans since the Stone Age, the city was founded by Portuguese and British colonists in the 17th century. The city was named Bombay by the Portuguese and it served as the city's official name until 1995, when it was changed to Mumbai, and both names are popularly and commonly used. Its inhabitants are informally known as Bombayites or Mumbaikars.
The present city was originally made up of seven small islands, composing mostly of mangrove forests and marshland dissected by rivers, streams and the sea. Fishing villages and settlements of the Koli and Aagris tribes developed on these islands, and the area became a centre for Hindu and Buddhist and Christian culture and religion under the Maurya Empire. Many of the Koli were christains from the early ages. The ancient port of Sopara served to connect western India with West Asia, and in the 9th century the area came under the rule of the Silhara dynasty, before falling in 1343 to the Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat. The arrival of the Portuguese in India in 1498 resulted in them appropriating much of the west coast of India. In 1508, Francis Almeida sailed in the archipelago and named it Bom Bahia or "Good Bay." In 1661 the seven islands were ceded to Charles II of England as the dowry of Catherine de Braganza. The islands were leased to the British East India Company in 1668.
The British undertook land-filling and draining of the marshlands, developing a modern port and city, which attracted migrant workers from across India. In the 19th century, Mumbai emerged as an important centre of international commerce, industry and culture and in the 20th century, it became an important centre for politics and government, becoming a strong base of the Indian
Intro
The history of Mumbai recounts the growth of a collection of islands on the western coast of India becoming the commercial and cultural capital of the nation and one of the most populous cities in the world. Although the islands were inhabited by humans since the Stone Age, the city was founded by Portuguese and British colonists in the 17th century. The city was named Bombay by the Portuguese and it served as the city's official name until 1995, when it was changed to Mumbai, and both names are popularly and commonly used. Its inhabitants are informally known as Bombayites or Mumbaikars.
The present city was originally made up of seven small islands, composing mostly of mangrove forests and marshland dissected by rivers, streams and the sea. Fishing villages and settlements of the Koli and Aagris tribes developed on these islands, and the area became a centre for Hindu and Buddhist and Christian culture and religion under the Maurya Empire. Many of the Koli were christains from the early ages. The ancient port of Sopara served to connect western India with West Asia, and in the 9th century the area came under the rule of the Silhara dynasty, before falling in 1343 to the Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat. The arrival of the Portuguese in India in 1498 resulted in them appropriating much of the west coast of India. In 1508, Francis Almeida sailed in the archipelago and named it Bom Bahia or "Good Bay." In 1661 the seven islands were ceded to Charles II of England as the dowry of Catherine de Braganza. The islands were leased to the British East India Company in 1668.
The British undertook land-filling and draining of the marshlands, developing a modern port and city, which attracted migrant workers from across India. In the 19th century, Mumbai emerged as an important centre of international commerce, industry and culture and in the 20th century, it became an important centre for politics and government, becoming a strong base of the Indian