Beehive Mumbai.

Mumbai gleams and glistens. The Bollywood bursts before the busy metropolis and rich colors. Finally, live, live and work in the Indian port city of almost 14 million people. Besides cinema posters with Shahrukh Khan is also the pervasive poverty.
  Mumbai - "Millionaire" is the fashion brand for which on many billboards advertising in which not just Shahrukh Khan smiles, the hero can hardly be counted "Bollywood" films. Many of the people who look at the posters live, but have only rags on the body. In Mumbai are such opposites everyday, to protzt the metropolis with cultural and culinary delights, with its wealth of colors and a virtually unbändigen bustle.
All at once the experience is in Crawford Market and the adjacent market district north of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. Although difficult to quantify is how many people live in Mumbai: Who by the market and stroll the streets, has quickly established a feeling almost all 14 million residents of the city were just here and now on the road - before or behind the stalls, heavily loaded Hand pulling carts or in klapprigen cars and mopeds sitting on the horn never out of reach.
The impression in a giant bee landed on his stick, the average Central Europeans in many places of Mumbai get to visit worthwhile. Since it is reassuring to know that most of these places not too far away from each other: on the southern tip of the island of Salsette over which extends Mumbai. Who is not with a tour group is underway, adheres to the best taxis to move ahead. The small black cars with yellow roofs seem particularly evening and at night the image onto the streets of the metropolis to dominate.
Coconut for goddess Mumba Devi
In the market district, there are flying traders, pineapple and melon pieces sell, seemingly countless jewelers, a covered corridor exclusively for the seller and substance to every imaginable, in all colors glittering knick-knacks. But not only that, deep inside the maze of alleys are the visitors - after they have passed through metal detectors - before the steps of the temple in honor of Mumba Devi. The Hindu goddess is named the metropolis. Since 1995, the former Bombay is now officially Mumbai.
A cow stands almost motionless in the small courtyard in front of the temple, a monk with a long beard and an orange frock is leisurely up and down, a lean dog sniffs around. For a few rupees selling dealer, whose pens surrounded the courtyard, coconut slices. Believers go barefoot in the temple with tiles designed and sacrifice the flesh of the goddess. Before a colorful shrine to kneel down for a moment - and not to disturb the photographs tourists, among them are mixed.
Also in another temple guests are cordially invited to share their cameras to Zück. But that will hear the similarities with the victims at the site rummeligen already on the market. The good 100 years old Jaina temple on Malabar Hill is in all respects magnificently: Some two walls of the building are clad with white marble, most but with colorful pictures, small statues and ornate carvings, some of them behind bars or windows.
Jainism is one of the secession of the predominant Hinduism in India. His followers do not worship gods, but 24 teachers. They are vegetarians, mostly traders - and wealthy. A group of women sitting on the afternoon singing and Tambourine before hitting a silver altar, always a bell is rung. The men are at work, they gather in the temple morning.
Sunset at Chowpatty Beach
Shining brightly dressed Hindu women with gold nose rings and sheathed in black Muslim, demolished and neatly dressed men - they all come at night along Chowpatty Beach. Just over 60 years, organized Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement, demonstrations here. Today we see the sunset. For visitors from Europe means above all the way to the beach but also faced with massive poverty to be: Especially many children begging for alms here stubbornly.
They are excellent restaurants, of which there are many in Mumbai's southern tip, there probably never see from the inside. In establishments such as the "myth" already meet the noon Gutverdienenden - Vegetarian and order as Gujarati Thali. This is a plate with several metal bowl in the waiter at the request repeatedly lentil soup, spinach or buttermilk fill. There are different flat breads and green peppers, whose truly hellish sharpness all know lots of tears in the eyes drives. Converted only three euros will cost the lush court
Even those who only briefly in the city, it should be at least an extensive tour schedule: on the Elephanta Island, with its caves. The colorfully painted wooden boat sets out there next to the Gateway of India from. The 1911 on behalf of England's King George V was built archway is how many historic buildings in the city - for example, the Gothic-Chhatrapati Shivaji Station - perfectly respectable. But there are fascinating places in and around Mumbai. And that includes the caves, on the World Heritage List of UNESCO stand.
Approximately one hour ride to the island. On the shore cows wade through the damp earth, it is just low tide. You are looking for some shade under trees. The caves are located on a hill on which a long staircase with 120 steps leads. Who does not want to manage on foot, may differ from locals in an improvised sedan - one tied to bamboo poles chair - is taken.
At a few monkeys passing it into the largest of the seven caves. It is, strictly speaking, no cave, but a rock gehauener in the temple room, whose entrance of massive columns is based. Also out from the rocks are more than man high reliefs in the semi-Hindu gods, including Shiva often. He is also a shrine temple in the middle of the hall dedicated.
Stars of the canvas
Far from the rank of gods, but general reputation of the stars of "Bollywood", in Mumbai, India's domestic film industry. As a tourist who expects that he glances behind the scenes of the dream factory can throw, will be disappointed: Guided tours of studios do not exist - at least not officially.
But those are not even necessary. Who the fascination of the Indian film wants to experience first hand, in only one of many cinemas to go around in "Eros". In the venerable Lichtspielhaus at Churchgate station run by no erotic Strip, as the name suggests. Tickets cost around one euro.
"One, Two Three" says the film - but before it is up for India's national anthem, which schallt from the loudspeakers, while the orange-white-green national flag on the giant screen flutters. Many of the predominantly young audience spin but only after this patriotic interlude - and blithely quasseln with their neighbors or to the office phone. When the last finally took place, runs the film has been almost half an hour.
Even those who of Hindi - the "official language" of "Bollywood" - not powerful, comes in the gangster comedy somewhat overexcited with. In this it just goes to three men who bear the same name, causing all sorts of confusion and complications leads.
Nevertheless, it is immediately clear who is the baddie is and who the smart guy. With this in the movie are - of course - open-dressed women, who also plays quite sure of the brand "Millionaire" bear. Shahrukh Khan missing on the other hand - as well as any reference to hardship and poverty.