Impossible Sunset of Mumbai Sky
"It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." By Bern Williams
The Bandstand Promenade, also known as Bandra Bandstand is a 1.2-kilometre-long walkway along the sea on the western coast of Mumbai, India in the neighbourhood of Bandra. It is simultaneously a popular hangout spot, a jogging track and a park.
I have spent many sunsets here. Just like Bern Williams, it is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream. In the sunset state of mind, I have built dreams and celebrated my accomplishments with Bandstand sunset. This photo which I had clicked at random, admiring this warm sunset hue, got many appreciations and I took photography on as a serious hobby building a separate photography Instagram page.
For people outside Mumbai, Bandstand has various other attractions apart from the bustling Promenade.
Bandra Fort is located right at the end of the road adjacent to Hotel Taj Land's End. It was built by the Portuguese in 1640 as a watchtower overlooking Mahim Bay, the Arabian Sea and the southern island of Mahim. Castella de Aguada has been featured in several Hindi films, such as Dil Chahta Hai, Buddha Mil Gaya and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na.
The Bandra–Worli Sea Link (BWSL), officially the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, is a cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete via duct approaches, which links Bandra in West Mumbai with Worli and Nariman Point and is the first phase of the proposed West Island Freeway system. The Sea Link reduces travel time between Bandra and Worli from 45 to 60 minutes to 7 minutes. The link has an average traffic of around 37,500 vehicles per day.
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, more commonly known as Mount Mary Church, is considered to be one of the oldest in the city of Mumbai. The church stands on a hillock, about 80 metres above sea level off Bandstand overlooking the Arabian Sea. It draws lakhs of devotees and pilgrims annually.
The Walk of the Stars is a 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) section of the Bandstand Promenade honouring Bollywood film stars. The path features about six statues of famous Bollywood actors as well as about 100 brass plates embossed with the handprints and signatures of other stars. The walk was inspired by the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is funded and privately managed by UTV and promoted through their UTV Stars television channel. As of December 2014, the walk with the stars section of the promenade has been removed.
This is Mumbai's most popular landmarks and just a quiet walk on the western coast is a pure blessing amidst the sound of the ocean and rattling palm trees or you can enjoy seaside Cafés and restaurants with a beautiful view of the sea and enjoy various quirky fast food, Chinese dishes and Indian street food. Sip on coffee by the sea will be an experience hard to forget.
While you're exploring Bandstand, don't miss out on slurping up some golas from the local carts. Or, have some buttas near the sea.