Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue
Built in 1884, this sky-blue hued structure is situated at Kala Ghoda area in South Mumbai. It still functions and is maintained by the city’s receding Jewish community. The entire area is heavily secured and photography is not allowed but it’s still worth a visit to understand how the city welcomed expelled Jews. The caretaker is welcoming and you can catch the faintest hint of pride in his eyes as he points out a photo of Madonna, who visited the place in 2008.
Kaas Plateau
This is a fairly nondescript place located around 125 km from Pune. However, visitors to the area during the months of September and October will be treated to a spectacular blue and purple hued bloom of the exotic Kaas flowers. To reach the place, drive down the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and NH4 till you reach Satara. From there, ask for directions for Kaas Road; it is about 22 km from Satara and the entire stretch of road is quite picturesque.
Liberty Theater
Built during the year of Indian independence, this was once a major landmark in Marine Drive until the multiplexes came along and stole the (its?) show. Today, this beautiful structure’s art deco cascading mirrors, ziggurat door knobs and sweeping staircases lies mostly forgotten. The cinema also houses a painted canvas by M. F. Husain titled ‘Shakti’ which is another reason to visit this place.
Sewri Flamingo Point
Every year, from November to March, this otherwise banal South Mumbai dockyard witnesses a riot of colours from the millions of migrating Flamingos and other exotic birds. The avian visitors fly in from as far as Siberia since the murky location and surrounding mangroves provide them ideal foraging grounds. The birds, the distant petroleum refineries looming in the distance and a few shipwrecks create a beautifully dramatic landscape.
Dr. E Moses Road
Mumbai is one of those cities with a deeply ingrained cosmopolitan nature and the best way to experience it is to walk down Dr.E Moses Road located between Worli and Mahalakshmi. The St.Peter’s Catholic Cemetery and the Hindu cremation ground are fairly evident landmarks, however the area is also home to the graveyard for Bene Israeli Jews and a little known Japanese graveyard. Hidden away in the corner of the Hindu cremation ground, the Japanese graveyard was built in the early 1900s and holds the ashes of several Japanese traders and their geishas who were living in the city during the period. The last body was buried in 1977 and the only time the place attracts visitors is during the annual prayer service.
Dahanu Beach
An idyllic beach located 150 km north of Mumbai, Dahanu is the lesser known sibling of Juhu. The serene beach is surrounded by chikoo orchards and is highly recommended if you like some peace and quiet. The beach is close to a Sai Temple and Udwada – an important place of worship for Zoroastrians and apparently has a fire which has been burning for more than a 1000 years.
Karnala Bird Sanctuary
This was once a vital fort since it overlooked the Bhor Pass – a major trade route between Konkan and Vidharbha region from 1200 to 1818. Today the fort is in ruins but the surrounding forest makes for a great trekking spot. It takes around 2 hours to reach the fort (with several leisure halts) and the trek to the top winds through a jungle that is home to rare species of birds like 3 toed Kingfisher and Ashi Minivet.
Harnai-Anjarle
This is a fairly secluded beach town located near Khed (around 35 km). The unspoiled beaches are perfect for dolphin spotting or just relaxing on a hammock and gorging on delicious sea food. There aren’t many attractions in the vicinity but you can explore an ancient Ganesh temple and a ruined sea-fort.
Chhota Kashmir
This place shot to fame in the early 70’s when it served as location for Bollywood movies. Movie producers headed here when they wanted to portray Kashmiri gardens but didn’t have the budget for the real deal. Today this dense forest area is a popular family picnic spot and the lake in the middle is one of the few boating locations in Mumbai.
Banaganga
This old water tank in Malabar Hill dates back to 1120 AD and is currently maintained by the Walkeshwar Temple Complex. According to legend, it is the spot where Lakshman shot an arrow into the ground and created a hole for the River Ganges to flow through. Being spring-fed, it remains sweet despite its proximity to the sea and is an excellent antidote for the noise and pollution.
Pandavkada Falls
This is not really a secret or even secluded spot, but is included in the list as not many people outside Mumbai really know about it. This waterfall is located in Kharghar, close to the Golf course. The area is home to several large and small streams and lush forest trails, rendering it an ideal monsoon getaway.
