Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai, (formerly known as New Bombay), is the largest planned city in India and also in the entire world – a city carefully planned from its inception and constructed on an undeveloped land in the west Indian state of Maharashtra, from scratch.

It is a “twin-city” to Mumbai - the capital city of Maharashtra. Navi Mumbai was planned in 1971 with the goal of mitigating the strain caused by Mumbai’s growing population on its developing infrastructure; and was completed and inaugurated in 1972.

Formerly known as New Bombay, the city of Navi Mumbai was formed to ease the burden of rising population and infrastructure of Mumbai. Located east of Thane, Navi Mumbai has a well-connected scheme of routes to main Mumbai and is filled with various places in and around to have fun and escape the monotony of life. some of the best places to visit in Navi Mumbai are given below.

• Pandavkada Falls: Falling from 100-feet above the ground, the Pandavkada Falls is one of the most appealing places to visit in Navi Mumbai. Located in Kharghar, the falls offer a scenic landscape with fresh and crisp air that will allure you in its charms for a rejuvenating experience.
• Karnala Bird Sanctuary: This place is mostly popular amongst the youngsters for birdwatching and hiking and for spending some leisure time with friends. Home to over 200 distinct birds, Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a haven for bird lovers and the place offers just that.
• Rock Garden: One of the popular tourist places in Navi Mumbai is the Rock Garden with a toy train as one of its main attractions. It is an ideal place to mingle with the nature as it has two large grounds beautifully decorated by statues and flowers.
• Belapur Mango Garden: To have a quirky experience, head to the Mango Garden in Belapur for a pleasant park filled with trees loaded with mangoes which makes for a splendid getaway. A nice picnic spot for families, the garden has swings and slides for children and a small pond with ducks in it.
• Sagar Vihar Garden: Endowed with an abundance of floral beauties and a remarkable display of booklet, the garden is an ideal picnic spot for families where you can loosen in the serene atmosphere with lush green surroundings.
• Nerul Balaji Temple: This incredible edifice of vibrant colors is a replica of Balaji temple at Tirupati and is one of the spiritual places of attractions in Navi Mumbai. Based on the concept of Ishta-Devta, the temple lies at the heart of the city and is visited by many followers every day.
• Bhawani Temple: A historical temple devoted to Godess Lakshmi, Bhawani Khadkeshwar temple is a pious and revered pilgrim enclosed by Buddhist Caves and water tanks.
• Nerul Lake: Referred as a ‘Mini Seashore’, Nerul Lake offers serene view of the cityscape and a place to experience solitude laced with greenery and paradisaic scenes. The sunset and sunrise here is a spectacular sight to behold, marking the lake with hues of crimson, red, orange, and blue.
• Wonder Park: One of the most loved amusement parks in Mumbai, the Wonder Park is a galore of fun, thrill, and delightful activities. From mini replicas of seven wonders to high-tech amusement rides, Wonder Park is a must-visit place in Navi Mumbai for a fun outing.
• Central Park: House of recreational activities, the Central Park beats all other parks in the proximity of Navi Mumbai, in terms of rides, greenery, and a soothing place to be.

The major festivals celebrated in Navi Mumbai are:

• Makar Sankranti – An auspicious harvest festival celebrated in the month of January.
• Holi – Festival of colours; celebrated in the month of March.
• Gudi padwa – Marathi New Year Day (celebrated all over Maharashtra state.
• Navrathri & Dussehra – A 10-day festival, where Goddess Durga is revered.
• Ganesh Chaturthi – A major festival in the state of Maharashtra, this is celebrated in all cites and town in this state, to worship Lord Ganesha (who is also the son of Lord Shiva).
• Maha Shivratri – People worship Lord Shiva and fast for long hours.

Some festivals exclusive to Navi Mumbai, such as:

• Navi Mumbai International Film Festival – An (annual) occasion to showcase the selected works of newly established s well as budding and well-known filmmakers from across India and the rest of the world.
• Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival – A festival where many Food Trucks (trucks doubling up as food stalls) sell 100+ dishes, especially street foods (from across the state, country and the world); along with lots of entertainment for kids & live performances by artists.

Navi Mumbai has many large shopping malls and complexes than street shops and markets. Here are some of the top malls in the city:

• Seawoods Grand Central Mall
• Inorbit Mall
• Glomax Mall
• Raghuleela Mall
• Haware Centurion Mall
• Fountain Square Mall

A rapid transit system called The Navi Mumbai Metro is currently under construction – it is a speed train system for local transportation between different areas within Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was originally planned to be inaugurated in 2020, but due to some reasons (one being the novel Corona virus), has been delayed indefinitely.

Here are some of the best restaurants and cafes with menus ranging from local cuisines and other Indian cuisines to all kinds of world cuisines in Navi Mumbai:

• Bhagat Tarachand
• Sigree
• Asian Kitchen
• Hotel Navaratna Veg Restaurant
• Tight
• Soy Street
• Mainland China Navi Mumbai
• Shaollin Temple
• Something’s Fishy
• The Food Studio
• Brew House Cafe
• Pot Pourri

Some of the best hotels for a comfortable stay in Navi Mumbai are:

• Majestic Court Sarovar Portico
• Ramada by Wyndham
• The Regenza by Tunga
• Royal Orchid Central Grazia
• Royal Tulip Hotel
• Fortune Select Exotica
• Hotel Sunrise Residency
• Hotel Rex Plaza
• Pushp Vatika Resort & Lawns
• Hotel Monarch Express

Navi Mumbai has a vibrant nightlife, which most people outgoing will love. Here are some interesting bars and pubs to check out in the city:

• Tight
• FlyHigh
• Rude Lounge
• The Angrezi Pub
• Locco
• Dale’s Heaven
• Royal Oak Brewer
• Overtime Sports Bar & grill
• The Jumping Frog

Navi Mumbai STD Code – 0215 (to be used before dialling numbers from a device that is not locally registered).

Emergency numbers:

• Police – 100, 022-27574928, 27561099
• Fire – 101, 022-27660101
• Women Helpline – 7738133133, 103
• Blood Bank – 104, 1910
• AIDS Helpline – 1097
• Disaster Helpline – 022-22694725

Marathi is the main language of Navi Mumbai .

Marathi:

• Welcome - Tumcha svagat aso
• How are you? - Tu kas ahes
• What's your name? - Tujha nav kay ahe
• Where are you from? - Apaṇ kothale ahat?
• Good morning - Su-prabhat
• Have a nice day - Sukhi raha