BANDSTAND AND AROUND
“Queen of the Suburbs”, Bandra is flanked on the western end by the sea-facing promenade known as Bandstand – widely considered to be Mumbai’s most chic outlying district. Offering stunning views of the Arabian Sea, this area is a residential favourite of many Bollywood stars. Apart from a fort on its southern tip and many quirky shops and cafés, it also has open-air performance venues, lush-green parks, as well as delicious street-food stalls.
Bandstand and Around
NEED TO KNOW
Jogger’s Park: Carter Rd, Bandra West; open 5:30–9am & 3:30–9pm daily
Mehboob Studios: 100, Hill Rd; 022 2642 1626; open for events
Bandra Fort: Bandstand Rd; open 6am–6:30pm daily
Carter Road: Bandra West
- Of the events held at Mehboob Studios, the annual Times Litfest, organized in December, is most notable.
1. Bandra–Worli Sea Link
The bridge drastically reduces travel time between Bandra and Worli. It is believed that the length of all the steel cables used in the majestic Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link are equal to the earth’s circumference.
The sea link at dusk
2. Jogger’s Park
Conceptualized by Oliver Andrade, Mumbai’s veteran sports coach, and built pro bono by various city builders, Jogger’s Park, overlooking the sea, is Mumbai’s best-known green space.
Pond at Jogger’s Park
3. Art Court
A great place to catch stunning sea views, the Art Court is decorated with a Ramesh Pateria marble sculpture at its corner. It is maintained and beautified by the Bandra Bandstand Residents’ Trust (BBRT).
4. Amphitheater
Often a venue for a variety of concerts, the amphitheatre inside Land’s End gardens is a lovely green space when not playing host to artists such as Sona Mohapatra and Shilpa Rao. It is also maintained by the BBRT.
5. Mannat
Shah Rukh Khan’s sprawling sea-facing mansion at Land’s End is almost a pilgrimage for fans. While visitors are not allowed in, the façade is a popular spot for pictures.
6. Mehboob Studios
Once comprising three stages, this studio was at the forefront of movie-making. Today, it hosts music and literature festivals and cultural events.
7. Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount
Located atop Bandra Hill, this basilica has extensively featured in many Bollywood films and is host to the Bandra Fair.
8. Bandra Fort
Located at Land’s End, this fort is known as Castella de Aguada, a mispelling of the Portuguese “castelo”. It was built in 1640 to act as a watchtower over the Mahim Bay, and is maintained by the Taj Land’s End hotel after BBRT’s restoration and conservation project.
Visitors at Bandra Fort
9. Carter Road
North of Jogger’s Park is Carter Road, which boasts a chess-board ground that sees people of all ages frequent it. The beautiful promenade is also lined with high-street shops, restaurants and clubs.
10. Street Art
From Chapel Road to Saint John Baptist Road, Bandra West is full of colourful bylanes and painted buildings. Find the works of the Wall Project artists, as well as art by the St+Art Foundation, such as this stunning likeness of Dadasaheb Phalke.
Art on the wall of a building
JIOGARDEN AND OTHER LANDMARKS
A suburb of inherent contrasts, Bandra stands as a lucrative alternative to the busy Colaba. Once known for Bandra Fort and heritage bungalows, the area is now home to grand architectural marvels. Chief among these are the engineering wonders, Bandra–Worli Sea Link and the futuristic JioGarden. Inaugurated in 2015, JioGarden spans 13,000 sq m (15,550 sq yd) of tree-lined open space with a synthetic landscaped garden and elaborate fountains. It is used as a community event and concert venue.
