Most of the year, Mumbai's climate is warm and humid. Between November and February, the skies are clear,and the temperature is cooler. From March the temperature becomes warm and humid till mid June, the beginning of monsoon. During monsoon there are torrential rains, sometimes causing the flooding of major roads and streets of Mumbai. The average rainfall which is brought by the south-west monsoon winds in Mumbai is  180 cms. Monsoon ends by the end of September. October is comparatively hot and humid.

The total population of Mumbai is about 10 millions. It is still growing. Mumbai provides umpteen opportunities to realize one's dreams. Hence, people from all over India, belonging to different cultures come here to realize their dreams. Mumbai has become the melting pot of all Indian  cultures. This is the reason Mumbai has a truly cosmopolitan population bustling with activity. It's film industry "Bollywood" also draws a number of youths with tinsel dreams to Mumbai. Being a major financial center, People from all over the world come here for business opportunities. This has made Mumbai a Major International city.

LORD GANESH FESTIVAL: Affectionately called Ganapati, is commonly depicted in homes and offices throughout India as a chubby, smiling and a little mischievous God. His devotees ascribe to Ganesha the ability to bestow wisdom and wealth upon us humans, thus making him probably the most popular deity in the Hindu pantheon. To repay Ganesha's bounty, in India, especially in Maharashtra and nearby areas, the entire population celebrates the ten-day festival of Lord Ganesha's birthday.

The festival honors Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of the Hindu pantheon. During the ten days of Ganesh Chaturthi, the image of the God is worshipped and feted in most homes, temples and halls, and on the last day the images are taken in a procession and immersed in water. Fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets are important aspects of Ganesh Chaturthi rituals in India. Hindus pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many of them made specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street-side artisans. Even those that do not wish to keep the idols alive by daily prayers, offerings, and lighting oil lamps, immerse them in the nearest water body

DURGA PUJA Or NAVRATRI : The festivities start with the first day called Mahalaya. It is also the day of the beginning of the countdown to the Durga Puja, which is celebrated in most households apart from the gaily-decorated puja mandaps that are erected in almost every locality. It is a common belief that Ma Lakshmi brings peace and prosperity to the households that celebrate the puja. People strongly believe that if Ma Lakshmi becomes chanchala or unhappy with a certain household, she tries to leave the place, leaving the owner of the house in a financial mess.

The culture of any place is always determined from its people, religion, language, cuisine and festivals. Mumbai has an assortment of people from various communities and subsequently they follow different religions. Since the metropolitan is observing modern trends, here people enjoy participating in all festivals irrespective of caste, creed and color. Another reason could be the influence of the Bollywood, where a potpourri of multi-ethnic culture is observed. The cultural heritage of Bombay presents a combination of old and new. The people of the 'Film City of India' seek to follow the hip-hop lifestyle of the celebrities residing here. The 'bindaas' or carefree approach of the Mumbaikars comes alive in their dialect of Mumbaiya Hindi too. Read on to know more about the culture of the Mumbai city of India

Mumbaikar or Bombayite is the term used for the inhabitants of Mumbai. Similar to the people in other parts of India, Mumbaikars are lively people, who live life to its fullest. Mumbai has a transfusion of various communities, following different religions and customs.

Mumbaikars tend to get busy in their demanding schedules of life, but when it comes to religion, people appear to be highly devout. Religion plays an important role in the lives of people in Mumbai. Like any other part of India, Hinduism is the major religion observed by most of the residents of Bombay.

 Marathi is recognized as the official language of the Mumbai city of India. It is the most widely spoken language in the city. Apart from Marathi, there are many other languages that are spoken and understood in Bombay. Mumbaiya or Bambaiya Hindi is the slang language of Mumbaikars.

Food simply means scrumptious dishes in Mumbai. The Chaupati Beach always reminds one of the lip-smacking 'Bhel Puri', a fast-food made of puffed rice, with lots of chillies, sauces and chopped onions. A typical Bombay platter consists of curries, rice, curd, chapattis, vegetable, salad, sweets etc.

The fascination for the Island City of India, Mumbai, never gets exhausted. People plan trips according to their holidays and suitability, yet one should refer the weather and peak travel season of the city before scheduling the trip. Mumbai, being located on the coastline, observes humid and sultry climate throughout the year. Summers elongates from March to May, where high temperature doesn't allow enjoying the capital of Maharashtra.

Monsoon season gives an amusing breathing space, but excessive rains spoil the mood of a holiday. Frankly, one should not plan a tour to Bombay during the rainy season. Due to its propinquity with the sea, the Bollywood City virtually floats in the heavy showers. The cultural festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, held in August/ September, attracts people from various parts of the country as well as the world.

After monsoons, the weather changes and, owing to the light breezes, becomes quite agreeable. Winters arrive and make the climatic conditions truly pleasant. It is the time when the city is comparatively less humid. However, winters doesn't mean wearing loads of woolens in Mumbai. The weather is just fine to take pleasure in the attractions, which the city offers. Thus, the best and ideal time to visit Mumbai is between the months of October and February.

Inorbit Mall

Inorbit, with its 1.2 million square feet of space, is one of the largest malls in South East Asia. The ground floor is mostly occupied by major British department stores. There are also a number of Indian designer fashion outlets, and an Australian cookie bakery. The first floor is full of national and international clothing brands, a music store, and bookstore. The top floor has been exclusively devoted to food and entertainment, and includes a kids play area. The drawback? The mall is in the outer suburbs.

• Address: Link Road, Malad (outer western Mumbai).
• Opening Hours: 11 a.m. until 9.30 p.m. daily.
• Stores: Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Spencers, Crosswords Bookstore, Provogue, Adidas, Marks & Spencer, Body Shop, Fame Multiplex Cinema.

Esselworld