The Australian Way - January - Mumbai

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MUMBAI INDIA
SOUTH MUMBAI
(Colaba/Apollo Bunder/Kala Ghoda/Fort)
STAY
The historic five-star The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is as much
an icon as the Gateway of India opposite, and the time-poor
will find great retail ops in the hotel’s arcades. The excellent
Nalanda Book & Music Shop is near the lifts. Natesan’s Antiqarts
features museum-quality ancient Indian sculptures and
objets (also in the basement of Jehangir Art Gallery, www.
natesansantiqarts.com). Joy Shoes offers jewelled sandals,
Ravissant, ravishing silverware. And there’s also Fendi,
Burberry, Moschino and Louis Vuitton. Some of our destinations
are an easy walk from the Taj. From INR10,900 ($254).
SHOP
Heading south from the Gateway of India and the Taj, turn
right for Bombay Electric (high-end men’s and women’s clothing from local and international designers, striking old and
new jewellery, antique photos), and a branch of Good Earth
(homewares featuring stylish Indian motifs such as funky
cushions with retro Rajas). Four blocks south you’ll find the
must-visit Bungalow 8 over three floors of the beautifully
decaying 19th-century Grants Building (covetable vintage
furniture, elegant homewares, interesting clothing and
extraordinary jewellery). There are also two studios in this
building, Kishmish and Mosaic (stylishly detailed women’s
clothes and handwoven scarves), which you can visit by
appointment (22 2288 0362). In the same street is the hip 
Clockwise from
top left: The Taj
Mahal Palace &
Tower; happy
Buddhas; flower
market; clocks
at Chor Bazaar
60 QANTAS JANUARY 2010
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MUMBAI INDIA
Central Cottage
Industries Emporium;
door in the Grants
Building, home to
Bungalow 8 (below)
South Mumbai
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
Apollo Bunder. (22) 6665 3366.
www.tajhotels.com
Bombay Electric 1 Reay House,
Best Marg, Colaba. (22) 2287 6276.
www.bombayelectric.in
Good Earth 2 Reay House, Best
Marg, Colaba. (22) 2202 1030.
www.goodearthindia.com
Bungalow 8 17 Arthur Bunder
Road, Colaba. (22) 2281 9880.
www.bungaloweight.com
Chatterjee & Lal 01/18 Kamal
Mansion, Floor 1, Arthur Bunder
Road, Colaba. (22) 2202 3787.
www.chatterjeeandlal.com
Tarun Tahiliani Villar Ville,
Ground Floor, Ramchandani Marg,
Apollo Bunder. (22) 2287 0895.
www.taruntahiliani.com
Ensemble Great Western
Building, 130/132 Shahid Bhagat
Singh Road. (22) 2285 4603.
Central Cottage Industries
Emporium 34 Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Marg, Apollo Bunder.
(22) 2202 7537. cottageemporium.in
Phillips Opposite Regal Cinema,
Colaba. (22) 2202 0564.
www.phillipsantiques.com
Fabindia Jeroo Building,
137 Mahatma Ghandi Road,
Kala Ghoda. (22) 2262 6539.
www.fabindia.net
Café Samovar Jehangir Art
Gallery, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
Kala Ghoda. (22) 2204 7276.
Bombay Paperie 59 Bombay
Samachar Marg, Fort.
(22) 6635 8171.
www.bombaypaperie.com
Chimanlals A2 Taj Building,
210 Dr Dadabhai Navroji Road
(enter from Wallace Street).
(22) 2207 7717.
The Gem Palace The Courtyard,
41-44 Minoo Desai Marg, Colaba.
(22) 6638 5484.
Mahesh Lunch Home
8b Cawasji Patel Street,
Fort. (22) 2287 0938.
www.maheshlunchhome.com
AR & Sons 43-45 Mathuradas
Estate, Colaba Causeway.
(22) 2202 0334.
Strand Book Stall Sir PM
Road, Fort. (22) 2266 1994.
www.strandbookstall.com
D Popli & Sons Jewellers
Readymoney Building, Battery
Street, Apollo Bunder.
(22) 2202 1694.
Indigo Delicatessen 34
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Marg,
Apollo Bunder. (22) 6655 1010.
www.indigodeli.com
Essajee & Sons 4 Battery Street,
Colaba. (22) 2202 1071.
Trishna Sai Baba Marg, Kala
Ghoda, Fort. (22) 2270 3213.
www.trishna.co.in
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contemporary art space Chatterjee & Lal for edgy work in
various media. Pick up a copy of the Japa Arts India art map
here to see what’s on at The Guild (www.guildindia.com) and
Project 88 (www.project88.in), both nearby, and Chemould
Prescott Road (www.gallerychemould.com).
To check the pulse of Indian designer wear (racing), continue along the waterfront to Tarun Tahiliani, the eponymous
boutique of India’s couture king (extraordinary bejewelled
designs). Tahiliani also co-owns the Ensemble boutiques,
which showcase many of India’s top designers.
A short drive on is The Courtyard, an upmarket collection
of fashion, furniture and homewares boutiques. The highlight
here is stepping into the shoebox showroom of the famed Gem
Palace (their main shop is in Jaipur) – it’s like a tiny museum.
Exquisite stones and antique settings.
Back towards the Taj is Colaba Causeway and the touristfilled Colaba Street Market. Along with the usual market
offerings of T-shirts, bags and toys, AR & Sons has a fun selection of gift cards and notebooks.
Near the Wellington Fountain is Battery Street with D Popli
& Sons Jewellers, a small shop with lots of drawers of antique
and contemporary silver jewellery to explore; and Essajee &
Sons, a fantastic repository of old wares – and the odd bit of
contemporary bling – from ceilings densely hung with glass
lanterns and chandeliers, to floors stacked with old photos
and prints. For souvenirs there’s always the nearby Central 
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