Significance
It is the place where the Viceroys and Governors used to land upon their arrival in India. The Gateway of India, though built as a welcome to King George V for his visit of 1911, then an event of grand significance for British India and the British empire, today serves as a "monumental memento" of colonialisation and subjugation by the British over the people of India. Built right next to the imposing and prestigious Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel, for Britishers arriving for the first time to India, the gateway was a symbol of the power and majesty of the British empire.
Opposite the gateway stands the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the king who used guerilla warfare to establish the Maratha empire in the Sahyadri mountain range in the 17th century, as a symbol of Maratha pride and courage. The statue was unveiled on 26 January 1961 on the occasion of India's Republic Day. The other statue in the area is that of Swami Vivekananda.
The Gateway of India itself is a major tourist destination and a popular gathering spot for locals, giant-balloon sellers and photographers.
There are five jetties at the Gateway. The first jetty is exclusive to the Atomic Research Centre, the second and third are used for commercial ferry operations, the fourth is closed and the fifth is exclusive to the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, there has been a proposal to close all these jetties and replace them with two newer ones to be built near the Bombay Presidency Radio Club nearby. The second and third jetties are the starting point for tours of Elephanta Caves, which is a 50-minute boat ride away by ferry. Other routes from the Gateway include ferry rides to Alibaug and Mandwa. These ferries are said to carry passengers above their certified capacity due to their popularity.
From 2012, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation decided to shift its venue for the 23 years old festival; "Elephanta Festival of music and dance" to Gateway, replacing Elephanta Caves for convenient issues. The Gateway could host about 2,000 to 2,500 people, whereas, Elephanta Caves can only host about 700 to 800 peoples.
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