Mumbai with a population of roughly 20 million is the capital of Maharashtra and is the financial, commercial, and entertainment capital of India. The city lies on the Konkan coast on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbor. The city was originally a conglomeration of 7 islands which were then joined together to form the island city of Mumbai.
History:
Archaeological evidence suggests that the 7 islands were inhabited by the Koli fishing community at the beginning of the Common Era. In the 13th century, King Bhimdev established his Kingdom in the region. In 1534 the islands were signed off as dependencies to the Portuguese Empire by Bahadur Shah. Later the British took over the region and by 1845 the 7 islands were connected together by civil engineering projects. After independence in 1960, the state of Maharashtra was formed with Bombay as its capital.
People:
The religious groups represented in Mumbai include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, and Sikhs. Mumbai is also home to the world’s largest population of Parsi Zoroastrians. 16 major languages of India are spoken in Mumbai with the most common being Marathi.
Culture:
Mumbai’s culture is a blend of traditional festivals, food, music, and theatres along with the diverse progressive lifestyles characteristic of metropolitan cities. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema and is the home of Bollywood, the Hindi movie industry. Diwali, Holi, Eid, Moharram, Durga puja, and Maha Shivratri are some of the main festivals celebrated here.
Economy:
Mumbai is the engine that powers India’s largest regional economy and accounts for approximately 87% of Maharashtra’s economy. The financial capital houses the Reserve bank of India, the Bombay stock exchange, and the National stock exchange. The automobile sector has played a key role in the industrialization of Mumbai with every sector of the industry represented here. The Mumbai port trust and the Jawaharlal port trust are the two major ports here and they handle one-third of the country’s total foreign trade. Mumbai also has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires among the Indian cities.
Mental health :
- A growing number of people in India’s financial capital are finding themselves in the grip of depression with a lack of social support, unhealthy lifestyles, and the prevalence of chronic illnesses exacerbating mental health problems.
- In a survey conducted in 2018 around 40 percent of Mumbai’s youth aged between 20 and 30 have admitted to being depressed.
- In the city known for its brutal pace, a growing number of young people have fallen victim to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, gaming addiction, and substance abuse.
- A study conducted in 2017 showed that Mumbai has the highest number of people who need psychiatric help among Indian cities.
- WHO also estimates that, in India, the economic loss, due to mental health conditions, between 2012-2030, is 1.03 trillions of 2010 dollars.
TalkItOver provides professional counseling services in Mumbai and in other major Indian cities.
