India’s City of Contrasts May Really Need Two Names

Ten years ago, in seeking to escape its colonial legacy, India's wealthiest state re-named its flagship city, and Bombay became Mumbai. To this day, however, there is still confusion over what to call the city; the Times of India writes "Mumbai" on front-page news, but calls its entertainment insert the Bombay Times. Increasingly – and much to the confusion of outsiders – the emergence of two distinct "cities" has accompanied the linguistic shift. According to this commentary, Bombay is the city of seekers and tolerance, long attracting migrants and merchants. On the other hand, Mumbai is the city of the rooted and the working-class: "Mumbai is the language of street signs, Bombay of street talk." With its thriving business hub and eight million poverty-stricken residents existing side-by-side, Mumbai (or Bombay) is certainly a study in contrast. – YaleGlobal