Max
I wasn't born in India - St Marys Hospital, Paddington, London, had that dubious privilege. I was brought up in Bombay though, and 22 years of it meant the city did get under my skin in more ways than one. As far as the name is concerned, some points to note:
1. The change to Mumbai cannot properly be called a reversion. There never was a city, or a town, called Mumbai. The area was first settled by, we are told 'Koli' people, fisherfolk who worshipped a deity called MumbaDevi, hence the alleged etymology of the current name. But…
2. The area in question was a small archipelago with many tiny fishing communities, notionally owned by Portugal in the 15th and 16th centuries, and used by them because there was a relatively deep, sheltered from the storm, natural harbour East of the islands, between them and the mainland. This good harbour (or bay), was allegedly called Bom Bahia by the Portuguese. You chooses your history and you takes your pick - decent attestation for neither name is available.
3. Certainly, it was only after the 1600s, when the area was given to the British as part of a wedding dowry, did the modern city begin to take shape. Land was 'reclaimed' between the islands and they began to form part of the single tapering peninsula that is modern Bombay. Each island, by the way, had its own, well-established name at the time, again raising doubts about the provenance of Mumbai. The largest was Salsette, today forming the bulk of 'Greater Bombay', whereas the modern city is composed of five or six former islands including Colaba, Mahim and others.
4. Given all this, I find little substance in the claim that 'Mumbai' is the true, or native name of the city, particularly since the 'natives' never created the city in the first place. But…
5. Whilst I, having left nearly a decade ago, can be crusty and reactionary and stick to calling it Bombay (mu Bombay, goddammit), I recognise that politics can often override my personal preferences. The fascistic, nationalistic bunch of thugs (I say this advisedly) who have taken over Bombay's government over the past decade, will have it called Mumbai, and threaten all businesses with dire consequences if they don't toe the line. So the change seems now to be a fait accompli. In a generation or two, they may be wondering what the fuss was all about. I, however, will regret the loss of the city of my youth…
cheer
the sunshine warrior
