Home > Travel > Cities of India > Chowpatty Beach
Chowpatty Beach
One of the famous public beaches in Mumbai, the Chowpatty beach is noted for its scrumptious fast food and the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

Share this Article:

Chowpatty Beach, MumbaiLocated in the Girgaon area of MumbaiMarine Drive, at the foot of the Malabar Hills. The beach is not meant for swimming or bathing but is sought after by political, religious and other social groups to host functions.

The lone surviving terrorist of 26/11 terror attacks, Ajmal Kasab was caught at Chowpatty beach by the brave policeman, Tukaram Omble. On 26th November, 2009, a bronze statue was built at the spot in honour of Tukaram Omble.

Etymology of Chowpatty Beach
Chowpatty comes from the word Chau-pati, which means four channels or creeks. This name is analogous to that of Satpaty, a village in the Mahim Taluka of the Thane District, which is approached through a channel or creek, containing 7 divisions of water.

Attractions in Chowpatty Beach
The Chowpatty beach is a retreat from a tedious routine for many. During the daytime, the beach is flocked by idle groups who loiter and laze around. But as the sun sets, and evening approaches, the beach virtually turns into a fair with food kiosks, shows of professional masseurs, BB-Gun shooting galleries, contortionists, snake charmers and monkey-trainers. The local delicacies such as pav bhaji, pani puri, ragda patties and kulfi are sold at stalls dotting the beach and is an important attraction. Chowpatty beach acts as a hangout for masses in all seasons.

The beach hosts various festivals of the Hindus throughout the year, like the Coconut Festival and the Ganesh Chaturthi. The best time to visit Chowpatty Beach is during this time between the months of October to March. During the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, thousands of devotees gather around to sing and dance. The idols of Lord Ganesha are immersed into the Arabian Sea as a part of the celebrations. It is also one of the many places in the city where the Ramlila is performed on a stage every year. An effigy of Ravana erected on the sand is burnt at the end of the 10-day performance.

Pollution in Chowpatty Beach
The once beautiful and clean Chowpatty beach is now a heap of trash. The water surrounding the beach is heavily polluted. In 2013, faecal coliform was recorded in the water at levels of 1455 per 100 ml, which is far above the acceptable standard of 500 per 100 ml. The presence of faecal coliform in the water has been attributed to waste from storm drains, open defecation, and the discharge of raw sewage from the sewer pipes not connected to the city mains.

On 30 August 2016, the sand on the beach is said to be turning black due to a possible oil slick in the area. The specific cause of the blackening is unknown. Recently around June, 2018, the Bombay High Court issued a 13 year old restriction on the Chowpatty beach from holding any kind of public events except religious ones like the Ganpati and Durga immersions, Ram Leela, Krishna Leela and Christmas event. For other functions, one has to take the court"s permission. The court also asked the Maharashtra government, the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Port Trust to tackle the erosion on the northern end of the beach and restore it within 2 months.

Visiting Information for Chowpatty Beach
The nearest railway station to Chowpatty beach is the Churchgate Station. From here, one can board a local train to Charni Road and walk from there to the beach. Chowpatty beach is also well connected by roads.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Cities of India


Ancient North Indian Cities
Ancient North Indian Cities were developed in the early era that is from the time of Mahabharata, and after the decline of Hindu kings in Northern parts. Some have become desolated and some became the archaeological ruins.
Ancient South Indian Cities
Ancient South Indian Cities witness the rise and fall of many empires from the early era.
Ancient Cities of North West India
Ancient Cities of North West India show the Rajput culture from the early phase, but in medieval era it showed the prominence after having a good relation with Mughals.
Ancient West Indian Cities
Ancient West Indian Cities are now completely in ruins, because of the heavy earthquake in some of the regions.
Holy Cities of North West India
Holy Cities of North West India are grown up in the midst of dry and thorny desert lands with Rajputana art and architecture.
Holy Cities of North India
Holy Cities of North India are having the rich history of Hinduism and the entire civilization was grown up with the hands of beliefs, rituals and the evolution of religion.
Holy Cities of South India
Holy Cities of South India gives the detailed cultural formation of Dravidians from the early era, which later developed to the world by the Pallavas and the Cholas.
Holy Cities of Central India
Holy Cities of Central India have the excellence of art and architecture in temples in the early era.
Holy Cities of East India
Holy Cities of East India refer the places of religious importance. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Buddhism are widely spread.
Holy Cities of West India
Holy Cities in West India were established by the rulers of Rajputs and the Satvahana Dynasty and the medieval rulers of Junagadh.
Cities of West Uttar Pradesh
Cities of West Uttar Pradesh include Meerut, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Bareilly, Rampur, Agra, Aligarh, Mathura and many others. It comprises the western parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Architecture of Ladakh
Architecture of Ladakh is very typically Buddhist due to the strong influence of the religion here. The architecture is in keeping with the geography and climate of the region.
Architecture Of Madurai
Architecture of Madurai reflects the Hindu architectural pattern as is seen in the lakes, temples and palaces.
Port Cities of South India
Port Cities of South India are developed from the early phase of colonial era when the Portuguese and the French traders came to India
Vaishali Ancient City
Vaishali was an ancient prosperous metropolis, which was probably the first republic of the world.
Kudra City
Kudra, the city in Kaimaur District where agriculture is the prime occupation and in this city there is present Asia’s largest seed cold storage.
Thuraiyur in Tamilnadu
Thuraiyur is a municipality town where the inhabitants are mostly dependent on agriculture and handloom industries.
Dharapuram - Tiruppur
Dharapuram is a town located in Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu. It is said that the Pandavas resided here in the town.
River Ghats in Haridwar
There are several river ghats in Haridwar, which are considered as popular spots among tourists.
Mataundh - Banda District
Mataundh is a prominent `panchayat town` situated in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh.