Located at Prabhadevi in central Mumbai, the temple’s idol of Shree Siddhivinayak was carved out of a single black stone with the trunk on the right. This is considered a rather unusual appearance of Lord Ganesh. The upper right and left hands hold a lotus and an axe respectively while the lower right and left hands hold a rosary (japmala) and a bowl full of ‘modak’ respectively. On the forehead of the deity is an eye, which almost looks like the third eye of Lord Shiva. On both sides of the Lord Ganesh idol are placed one idol each of goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi and it is because of these two deities along with that of Lord Ganesh that the temple is called the Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple. These goddesses signify sanctity, success, wealth and prosperity.

Built from a winning entry by architect George Wittet in 1909, the museum offers insights into the rich past of the country with its archaeological artefacts sourced from various excavated sites. It was opened to public on January10, 1922. This includes antiquities from the Buddhist monasteries of Gandhara, now in Pakistan, and the pottery and terracotta figurines from Harappa and Mohenjodaro dating back to about 3000 BCE. The museum mainly houses sculptures from the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Kashmir. Some of the other galleries showcase miniature paintings, decorative objects made out of wood, jade and ivory, etc.

Inaugurated on November 18, 2004 by the then president of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the RBI Monetary Museum is a valuable addition to the Reserve Bank of India’s economy and finance-related functions and commercial activities. As the custodian of the country’s monetary heritage, the museum is an effort to document, preserve and present India’s currency system to the public. It was conceived as a part of the RBI’s educational and outreach programme.

The museum has been divided into many different sections and together they present a permanent and itinerant display of representative collection of original coins, notes and financial instruments which take the visitors down 2,500 years. The first section named ‘Ideas, Concepts & Curiosities’ introduces the visitor to how the money originated and evolved and how it is transformed from the concrete to the abstract i.e. the age of the good old barter system to electronic money. The next section of the Indian coinage traces the evolution of coined money from 6th century BCE to the present with exhibits of select coins along with a chronology of events and the timeline marking the important historical events.

The Global Vipassana Pagoda, which represents the teachings of Gautama Buddha, was inspired by the renowned Vipassana meditation instructor Acharya S. N. Goenka. Additionally, it is an expression of the nation's sincere thanks to Emperor Ashoka and the line of Buddhist masters that extends from his teacher, Moggaliputta Tissa, to the current generation of Burmese Vipassana teachers, including Ledi Sayadaw, Saya Thetgyi, and Sayagi U Ba Khin.

Real bone remains of the Buddha are kept at the Global Vipassana Pagoda, which was modelled after Yangon's iconic Shwedegon Pagoda, which also holds his hair relic. Before the Second World War, several of these artefacts were discovered by the archaeology division of the imperial British government among the remains of a "stupa" in Bhattiprolu, southern India. After the war, they were sent back to the Mahabodhi Society of India after being stored at the Museum of London. For the benefit of the innumerable devotees who visit the Global Vipassana Pagoda to meditate, the Society gave them to Acharya Goenka to install there.

The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who renounced all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. It is said that he had come to India from Bukhara in the ancient Persian Empire and had travelled around the world before deciding to settle down in Mumbai.

Elephanta Island is home to just approximately 1,200 people, most of whom work in agriculture, fishing, and boat maintenance. However, the place's history is a another matter entirely. There are three small communities on this island, all of which are inhabited by fishermen and farmers who have maintained their traditional way of life, despite the island's closeness to the commercial centre of India. An elephant and a horse sculpture were excavated from the island, which led to it being dubbed Elephant Island.

Two of the island's hills, the Gun Hill and the Stupa Hill, are particularly noteworthy. The former's name is derived from the presence of two British-era cannons on its roof. To defend the Mumbai Fort, these cannons must have been crucial. This is the island's most prominent peak, where a total of five Shaiva caves were discovered in the 6th century CE. In the Stupa Hill, you'll see the ruins of a Buddhist stupa that formerly stood there. Brick stupa archaeological mound is the name given to this mound, which is totally covered in dirt. These caverns and the natural beauty of the area make for an ideal one-day trip from Mumbai. In 1987, it was included to India's list of World Heritage Sites.