The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands, namely Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. This group of islands, formed part of the kingdom of King Ashoka (170 B.C.), which have since been joined together by a series of reclamations.
After his death, these islands passed in to the hands of various Hindu rulers until 1343. In that year, the 'Muslim Rulers' of Gujarat took possession of the islands, and ruled that province for the next two centuries. The only vestige of their dominion over these islands that remains today is the mosque at Mahim.
In 1534 the Portuguese, who already possessed many important trading centers on the western coast, such as Panjim (Goa), Daman, and Diu, took Bombay by force of arms from the 'Mohammedans'. This led to the establishment of numerous churches which were constructed in areas where the majority of people were Roman Catholics. There used to be two areas in Bombay called 'Portuguese Church'. However, only one church with Portuguese-style facade still remains; it is the St. Andrew's church at Bandra. The Portuguese also fortified their possession by building forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra, and Bassein which, although in disrepair, can still be seen. They named their new possession as 'Bom Baia' which in Portuguese means 'Good Bay'.
About 130 years later the islands were given as dowry to the English King Charles II on his marriage to Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza in 1662. In 1668 the islands were acquired by the British East India Company on lease from the crown for 10 pounds in gold/per annum. Obviously the British did not value these islands at that time. The Company, which was operating from Surat, was in search for another deeper water port so that larger vessels could dock, and found the islands of Bombay suitable for development. The shifting of the East India Company's headquarters to Bombay in 1687 led to the eclipse of Surat as a principal trading center. The British corrupted the Portuguese name 'Bom Baia' to ' Bombay'. This name was later changed to 'Bombay' by the British, The Kolis who are the fishermen of that area, called a small section (Babulnath to be precise) of the islands, 'Mumba'. Also a temple which housed the goddess Mumbadevi prompted the political parties to change the name to Mumbai recently.
The first Parsi to arrive in Bombay was Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel in 1640. The Parsis, originally from Iran, migrated to India about 900 years ago. This they did to save their religion, Zoroastrianism, from invading Arabs who proselytized Islam. However, in 1689-90, when a severe plague had struck down most of the Europeans, the Siddi Chief of Janjira made several attempts to repossess the islands by force, but the son of the former, a trader named Rustomji Dorabji Patel (1667-1763), successfully warded off the attacks on behalf of the British with the help of the 'Kolis', the original fisher-folk inhabitants of these islands. The remnants of the Koli settlements can still be seen at Backbay reclamation, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Bassein and Madh Island.
Bombay then had a succession of British governors, who attracted Gujarati traders, Parsi ship builders, and Hindu and Muslim businessmen; and made the city more populous. A city court was started to uphold the law. A fort was also built, none of which remains, except a small portion of the wall. Governors like Oxenden, Aungier & Grant helped Bombay grow and set up hospitals, roads etc
The Zoroastrian Towers of Silence on Malabar hill were built by Seth Modi Hirji Vachha in 1672.The first fire-temple was also built in the same year by Seth Vachha opposite his residence at Modikhana within the British fort.
Both of these structures can still be seen today although they have been expanded and strengthened.
The inroads of the sea at Worli, Mahim, and Mahalaxmi turned the ground between the islands into swamps making Bombay an extremely unhealthy place at that time. Reclamation work to stop the breeches at Mahalaxmi and Worli were undertaken. In 1803 Bombay was connected with Salsette by a causeway at Sion. The island of Colaba was joined to Bombay in 1838 by a causeway now called Colaba Causeway and the Causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was completed in 1845, which was done by Lady Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy.
In the mid 1800's the cattle that people owned used to graze at the lush Camp Maidan (Azad Maidan). The British, always ready to levy taxes, started a grazing tax, which most people could not afford. Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy spent Rs. 20,000 to buy some grassland near the sea front at Thakurdwar and saw that the starving cattle grazed without a fee in that area. In time the area became to be known as 'Charni' meaning grazing. When a railway station on the BB&CI railway was constructed there it was called Charni Road.
On Saturday 16th of April, 1853, a 21-mile long railway line, the first in India, between Bombay's Victoria Terminus and Thana was opened. In 1860, the railroads connected Baroda and Central India. With the Suez Canal also opening in Africa, Bombay saw a great economic boom. Cotton being the main export. Many families made their fortunes during that time. Even the Americans imported cotton during the Civil War that started in 1861. The population of the city went from about 13,000 in 1770 to about 644,000 in 1870.
In 1858, after the first war for Independence, where people like the Rani of Jhansi played a big part, Bombay was taken back by the crown and the East India Company was in dire straits. Governor Frere had a fountain made in his honor at that time. Which was later called Flora Fountain, but this is a fact that is quite unknown to the general public.
Then in 1863, the Governor got piped water from the lakes (Tulsi, Vihar & Tansa). After which they banned all open water storage systems like water tanks and wells, which were breeding grounds for mosquitoes. This was met with a lot of opposition.
The latter half of the 19th century was also to see a feverish construction of buildings in Bombay, many of which such as, the Victoria Terminus, the General Post Office, Municipal Corporation, the Prince of Wales Museum, Rajabai Tower and Bombay University, St. Xavier's College, Elphinstone College and the Cawasji Jehangir Hall, the Crawford Market, the Old Secretariat (Old Customs House) and the Public Works Department (PWD) Building, still stand today as major landmarks. The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Darbar at Delhi in 1911. The Princess Dock was built in the year 1885 and the Victoria Dock and the Mereweather Dry Docks in 1891. Alexandra Dock was completed in 1914.
