Mumbai Through a Map

Mumbai, as a city of conquest, globalization, and economic significance, is mirrored by the content of this map from 2003. The different languages presented reflect the myriad of imperial eras imposed on the city that remain relevant today, the most recent and influential being that of the British Raj; the existence of places of worship to different strains of faith and of multinational company residences reinforce the affirmation that Mumbai is indeed a city on the global scale; and the very essence of the map as, first, a commercial product and, second, a public navigational tool conveys the state of Mumbaikar society in the modern era of transnational capitalism. At the heart of all these discernments is the map from HP Gas, which transcends practical functions as an inherent artifact of the city and people it features. Way back in Boston, we realized that physical locations can convey urban character, but representations of such spaces are just as capable; in discovering Mumbai, we find a fresh appreciation for maps.