The Seven Islands of Bombay: How Mumbai was born

Namaste Mumbai!

When you walk along Marine Drive, sip chai at a Bandra café, or take a ferry to Elephanta, it’s hard to imagine that Mumbai — this bustling metropolis — was once not a single city at all.

In fact, it began as seven separate islands, scattered across the Arabian Sea.

Let’s time-travel back a few centuries.

The seven islands

Long before the skyline was filled with glass towers and the streets were jammed with black-and-yellow taxis, the land we now call Mumbai was a cluster of fishing villages. These were:

1. Colaba – Once home to Kolis (Mumbai’s original fishing community) and known for coconut groves.

2. Old Woman’s Island (Little Colaba) – The smallest of the seven, with limited habitation.

3. Bombay Island – Containing the Fort area and what is now South Mumbai.

4. Mazagaon – A thriving fishing settlement with Portuguese influences.

5. Parel – Known for rice fields, mango orchards, and later colonial mills.

6. Mahim – A significant trading and fishing hub.

7. Worli – Famous for its fishing villages and Worli Fort.

These islands were separated by swampy waters and mudflats, only accessible by boat during high tide. At low tide, marshes and tidal flats made travel unpleasant and slow.

From Portuguese to British hands

The islands first came under Portuguese control in the 16th century. But in 1661, they became part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married King Charles II of England. The British East India Company then leased them for a mere £10 a year — a deal that would forever change the city’s fate.

The great land reclamation

In the late 18th and 19th centuries, the British undertook one of the largest engineering projects of its time: land reclamation. The most ambitious was the Hornby Vellard project in 1784, which filled in the breach between Worli and Bombay Island. Slowly, over the decades, the gaps between the islands were bridged using causeways, embankments, and reclaimed land.

Other key reclamation works included:

• Colaba Causeway (1838) – Connecting Colaba to Bombay Island.

• Mahim Causeway (1845) – Linking Mahim to Bandra.

• Breach Candy reclamation – Filling tidal inlets.

By the mid-19th century, the seven islands had been stitched together into a single landmass, laying the foundation for what we now know as Mumbai.

From islands to India’s financial capital

Once unified, Bombay grew rapidly into a port city, attracting merchants, laborers, and communities from across India. Its natural harbor made it a hub for trade, and its textile mills brought industrial prosperity. Over time, the reclaimed land became the backdrop for Victorian Gothic buildings, bustling markets, and modern infrastructure.

Today, the only traces of the original islands lie in old maps and place names. But next time you cross from Worli to Mahim or stroll through Colaba, you’re walking on ground that was once sea.

Did you know?

• The name “Bombay” likely comes from the Portuguese Bombaim, meaning “good little bay.”

• The Hornby Vellard was constantly delayed due to storms destroying embankments.

• The original fishing communities, the Kolis, still live along the city’s coastlines.

From seven scattered islands to one unstoppable city — that’s the story of Mumbai’s birth. And just like its land, Mumbai’s spirit has always been about connection — of people, culture, and dreams.

Watch this podcast

Have you ever wondered about the rich and layered history of our beloved city, Mumbai?

And that's a wrap of this week’s edition of Mumbai Hype!

Aapli Mumbai, Aapli Pride!

With love,
The Mumbai Hype Team