Bombay

Bombay was the former name of the present metropolitan city Mumbai, which headquartered the Bombay Presidency during British India. The city was an important trade centre in India. It was once an important cotton trade centre of the world.

Bombay Presidency was the western Presidency of India, which embraced 26 British districts and 19 feudatory states. It was situated North of the Nerbudda River. The region was flat and fertile, south of it were mountain ranges and tablelands. In the fertile North cotton, opium, and wheat were the staple products. In the South, salt, iron, and gold were mined, but coal was wanting. The climate was hot and moist on the coast and in the plains, but pleasant on the plateaux.

Cotton manufacture had been developed extensively and cotton cloths, with sugar, tea, wool, and drugs were exported. Machinery, oil, coal, and liquors were imported.

It was swarmed with people of every clime, and its merchandise was mainly in the hands of the Parsees, the descendants of the ancient fire-worshippers. It was the most important English town in India. It came to England from Portugal as dowry with Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II., who leased it to the East India Company for £10 a year. Its prosperity began when the Civil War in America afforded it an opening for its cotton.

The Bombay presidency was further divided into two Indian states in Independent India named Maharashtra and Gujarat. Bombay city remained with Maharashtra, which was later renamed Mumbai.

Nearby pages
Bombay Stock Exchange, Bomdila, Bomdila Monastery, Bon Gaultier, Bona, Bona Dea