3 hours of time travel This was an outstanding way of exploring the heritage of Mumbai. Our guide Pankaj was brilliant and brought alive the 200 years of colonial period. We saw great buildings in Gothic and Art Deco style. Nowhere else have I seen such a variety in architecture styles. An excellent way of spending 3 hours in Mumbai.

Great guide and walking tour We loved our walking tour with Pankaj who was a generous, well informed and interesting guide to Mumbai. We covered all the main sights and gained insights into life in Mumbai. Pankaj happily and generously answered our questions about Mumbai’s history, culture, politics and life in Mumbai, which added to our visit enormously . Thank you so much -a great tour

Great Tour My spouse and I took the walking tour the morning of January 8. The Brits are acknowledged to have bequeathed to India a working government, a developed educational system, and infrastructure(in particular a well-functioning railway system. To these should be added a legacy of architecture that to this day is capable of inspiring awe. This tour reveals some wonderful examples by focusing on significant, mostly Gothic-style architecture of the Raj originating from the 19th Century, and some samples of Art Deco design that remarkably survive in significant numbers from the early 20th Century. Our excellent and very knowledgeable guide, Pankaj from Five Senses Tours, skillfully steered us through the busy maze of Fort Bombay, where some of the best examples of both of these styles are concentrated in a relatively compact area of the huge megalopolis that is now Mumbai. Our walking tour began at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, one of two railway terminals in South Mumbai. Despite its indigenous-sounding name – a result of the wave of Hindu nationalism that has engulfed India in the last decades -- the terminal is neo-Gothic, albeit with selective doses of Indo-Saracenic ornamentation, and was originally conceived of, wrought as, and named Victoria Terminus. Still known by many Mumbaikars as “V.T.”, this at first viewing, looks to be something that might never have been allowed off the charette except in some faraway land where the locals were powerless to prevent its being built. In fact, though, V.T. and the other examples of Raj architecture that today coexist with South Mumbai’s skyscrapers were built with – and arguably could not have been built without -- the funds, craftsmanship and civic support contributed by many prominent Indian citizens of Bombay (who may or may not have had design approval). V.T is just one of numerous wonderful sites along this tour, and the visit offers the included opportunity to ride a commuter train from the Terminus to the first station up the line (Masjid Bundar, I think). One thing to bear in mind is that Mumbai is in the process of building a new subway system, one length of which Is under construction on and under the section of Dadabhoy Naoroji Road running from V.T. southward, which contains many of most impressive specimens of British Gothic in Mumbai. Because of the construction, the only real way to see these great structures from the ground is to walk the unprotected length of this section of D. N. road sharing what remains of the pavement with southbound automobile traffic. This is a take-your-life-in your-hands proposition that I don’t recommend without first putting in at least a few hours of practice navigating Mumbai’s streets on foot first. Through industry and enterprise, our intrepid guide was also able to get us into the interior courtyard of St. Xavier’s College and a portion of the Bombay High Court, both wonderful British Gothic structures that he told us are normally off-limits for tourists. The complete list of all the sites on this tour, including the Art Deco structures that I haven’t gotten into here, is laid out in the tour company’s website. Note that the Eros Cinema in the Church Gate neighborhood, included on the itinerary, has been closed for a number of years, but the view from the street affords an excellent example of the use of bamboo scaffolding for construction. All in all, it’s a very fine tour conducted by a knowledgeable guide in a fascinating locale.

Mumbai architecture walk The architecture and heritage walk in Mumbai by Pankaj was an amazing experience. We saw incredible buildings and Pankaj brought them alive with fascinating stories. This walk is a great way to learn about Mumbai and it's heritage. Very highly recommended.

Fascinating day out in Mumbai It was a very enjoyable walk with pankaj. He told us fascinating stories about the various Gothic and Art deco buildings we visited. The CST station was magnificent and pankaj even took us on a short train ride. It was lovely to ride along like a local. I learnt so much about india today. Highly recommended

Excellent way to tour Mumbai I had half a day free on Mumbai and signed up for the Art Deco and Gothic story of Mumbai. It sounded interesting and eventually turned out to be an excellent one. Over 3 hours Pankaj brought alive the history and heritage of Mumbai through colonial times to the modern Mumbai. The buildings were incredibly beautiful and the story telling very engaging. After having done this, I feel this is the best way to understand a city better. Would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to tour Mumbai.

Lovely walking tour Sharan is a very respectful & helpful guide. It is obvious he is knowledgeable & passionate about what he does. We enjoyed our time with in his company.

One of the best Tours in Mumbai My tour guide was very knowledgeable. He not only showed me the deco/goth buildings, but also explained the historical and political context behind the buildings. I was able to learn so much more than just the architecture but also what makes India such a unique and beautiful country before and after the independence. Panjak was truly the best tour guide !

Great walk Got a chance to marvel at the wonderful architecture in Mumbai. Pankaj, my guide, was an excellent host, providing context for the historical development of Mumbai, recommendations for shops and restaurants. I was particularly pleased at how flexible the tour was. I unknowingly scheduled it for the day of the Mumbai marathon, whose course intersected at various places with the walking tour. Pankaj adapted on the go, and we managed to get everything done.