It’s an iconic blend of the avant-garde and tradition that has defined Mumbai since its inception, when Bombay (as it was previously known) literally meant ‘good bay’ and occupied seven islands. In less than 500 years, it has blossomed from a fishing village into a sprawling metropolis squeezed onto a narrow strip of land in the Arabian Sea.
In the last 30 years, Mumbai’s population has increased by eight million to 21 million, with an additional seven million expected by 2035. What sets Mumbai apart from other Indian cities is that, unlike Kolkata or Delhi, which were political capitals, Mumbai has always been a financial and trade centre. ‘This means that, right from its inception, entrepreneurs and philanthropists from different communities, like David Sassoon, Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and Cowasji Jehangir, contributed to its landmarks building,’ says conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, referring to symbolic buildings like the Flora Fountain, Sir JJ School of Art and Jehangir Art Gallery. ‘In a similar way today, large corporations that have grown with this city, contribute to its development and conservation with art and cultural spaces.’
Envisioned by philanthropist Nita Mukesh Ambani, the new Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) – located in Bandra at the edge of the city suburbs, within the Jio World Centre – is a case in point. Home to three auditoriums and a four-storey arts
