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 The Gateway of India is one of India’s most prized possessions. Located in South Mumbai, it was a crude jetty used by fisher folks and was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other distinguished personages. Anyone coming to Mumbai from this harbour is greeted by the huge monument, which stands as a testimony to the imperial past and era of the city.
The Gateway faces the vast Arabian Sea, flanked by Mumbai's other attraction, Marine Drive, a road running parallel to the sea. The Gateway of India is synonymous with Mumbai. It is the most famous monument of Mumbai and is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city.
History:
The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay, in December 1911. The foundation stone was laid on 31 March 1911, by the Governor of Bombay Sir George Sydenham Clarke, with the final design of George Wittet sanctioned in August 1914. Between 1915 and 1919 work proceeded at Apollo Bundar for the land on which the gateway and the new sea wall would be built. The foundations were completed in the year 1920 and the construction was completed in 1924.
Design:
The Writing on the Gateway of India reads "Erected to commemorate the landing in India of their Imperial Majesties King George V and Queen Mary on the Second of December MCMXI". In front of the Gateway there is a statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The architectural style is Indo-Saracenic. It is a combination of both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles; while the arch is in Muslim style, the decorations are in Hindu style. The central dome is 15 metres, i.e. 49 ft in diameter and is 26 metres (85 ft) above ground at its highest point. The Gateway is built from yellow basalt and reinforced concrete. The perforated screens were brought from Gwalior but the stone was locally obtained.
When the British rule ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of a memorial. The last British troop that left India, First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, passed through the Gateway of India on 28 February 1948.
The majestic monument is a must-visit at night, in its immaculate glory against the backdrop of the sea. It is visited by millions of people across the world every year. It is a very significant figure in the lives of the people of Mumbai, as the Gateway defines the grandeur of the city that is a culmination of historic and modern cultural environment.
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