Bandra Bandstand or Bandra Promenade: The Culture Hub of Mumbai (2024)
Bandra Bandstand or Bandra Promenade:
Bandstand is a popular location in Bandra, Mumbai. Bandra Bandstand or Bandra Promenade has contemporary importance and has today become one of the hubs of the culture scene in Mumbai. Because of the several events happening there, the experience of being in Bandstand, it is a must-visit location in Mumbai. If you plan to visit Bandra Bandstand, here is something you should know about the place.
The Bandstand is a 1.2 KM long walkway, towards the end of Bandra, popularly known as Land’s End. The Bandstand Promenade, as it is officially known, is a venue for events like Celebrate Bandra. There are some private events like concerts, dance performances, and other popular events like launches of movie soundtrack albums, etc.
It is not the concerts that drive people to Bandstand. Many people consider Bandstand and its surrounding areas the epitome of the freethinking and all-encompassing spirit that Mumbai is. You will see several amateur performers hone their skills and give out free performances for anyone who is interested – or just passing by.
The Bandstand area is the perfect location for anyone looking to walk along a path that is both calming and abuzz with activity at the same time. The entire Bandstand area has several other historically and culturally important locations like the Bandra Fort, the Mount Mary Church, also known as Bandra Church, The Bandstand area also gives a great view of the Bandra Worli Sea Link.
For decades, Bandstand has also been the place for the ever-busy Mumbaikar to get some moments of solace. It is infamous for being the destination for young lovers to share sweet nothings, away from the glare of society and their families.
Tourists have an excellent opportunity to take a stroll down the path, look at the sea trying to flirt with the idea of coming to your feet, and take in the wind near the sea when they visit Bandstand.
You can spend an hour if you are alone, but if you are here with a special someone, you can spend hours chatting up and sharing your life with them, and you will not realize how fast time has passed. Bandstand was a film location in the seventies and the eighties. Even today, movies that want to show Mumbai in one quick scene, settle for Bandstand.
One pro tip, though Bandra Bandstand is an incredibly famous tourist location, you do not have any shops or even hawkers at the place. So, make sure that you pack water and biscuits or anything that you prefer to munch, Bandstand is a different place throughout the day. Also, be very particular about the cleanliness. If you litter around even a bit, you will find responsible citizens ever at the ready to admonish you. In any case, Bandstand is well-maintained and a beautiful place to spend an afternoon or evening in, you will not feel like littering the place. Early mornings, you will see people jogging and strolling. In the lazy afternoons, you will see couples trying to cock a snook, and by the evenings, families and groups come here to chat up.
Bandstand is also popular for being the neighborhood of the rich and famous. So, while you are strolling about, you might spot a celebrity or two, either jogging or taking a walk down the promenade, like you. And if you want to see what celebrity worship is about, head over to Mannat, the residence of Shah Rukh Khan. It is amusing to see how crowds stand there, even making it a popular selfie spot. The only time Shah Rukh Khan is there is when he waves at the public from a specially constructed terrace.
Other Popular Places Near Bandra Bandstand
As previously noted, there are several other places in the vicinity of Bandstand that you can visit to complete your Bandra experience. If you have visited those places, you can always decide on taking another stroll on Hill Road, which is one of the most colorful and flea markets in Mumbai City.
If you are not in a shopping mood, Hill Road has some options for those looking to experience Bandra and Mumbai cuisine. There is a shop amid it all that gives some delicious puffs, croissants, and other such dishes.
Hill Road is also home to some of the oldest fashion outlets in Mumbai. Before the malls become a common thing in Mumbai, people from the suburbs would visit Bandra to shop for the latest fashions. You can also make a stop to eat at Elco, one of the most famous eating out places in Mumbai.
All of these places, the sheer accessibility of Bandstand, and the role that it plays in Mumbai’s history makes it a must visit place for tourists.
Once you are out of Bandra, you can visit Andheri, which is another metro hub for Mumbaikars, and therefore a must-visit place for the tourists in Mumbai.
Andheri has a flea market as well and several popular eating out places. If you have a couple of hours in Andheri, head on to Veera Desai Road, and you will see the offices of YRF, Mukta Arts, and Balaji, all in the same lane, jostling for space.
How To Reach Bandra Bandstand?
Reaching Bandstand is easy. You first need to reach Bandra, which is the center of the Western Railway. So, if you are traveling from the Borivali side, you need to travel towards the South and get down at Bandra Station. If you are traveling from Churchgate, board the train towards the North, that is towards Borivali and get down at the Bandra Station.
From Bandra Station, you can either take a cab or an autorickshaw to the Bandstand area.