Thane

Understand

Thane (tthah-nneh) is known as the Elder Sister of Mumbai, as Thane district was divided and part of Thane district that is from Mulund to Sion was given to Mumbai for its future development. Also, Mumbai depends heavily on Thane for water supply from lakes. Thane for all practical purposes is a suburb of Mumbai. Today Thane city area is with more than 1.2 million population.

Thane was inhabited by people of the Agri and Koli communities, and their villages still exist today as "Chendani Koliwada", "Kopari Goan", and "Uthalsar". It also includes Majiwade, Balkum, Dhokali, Kolshet, Wadavli, and others. In 1825, when the British explored their newly annexed territories in Bassein, they discovered that Thane was inhabited primarily by Roman Catholics, who are both native and Portuguese, and that the latter was virtually indistinguishable from the former in skin colour and custom. The local villagers, like Kolis (fishermen), are converted into indigenous Catholics mostly from the villages of Chendani, Koliwada, and Majiwada. The Agri and Koli community people had their own cultures. Some of the upper-class East Indian families in the Khatri ward of Thane still speak Portuguese.

There are 30 lakes within and around the city, earning it the sobriquet of Lake City. Apart from being a source of water for Thane and its larger neighbour, Mumbai, the lakes are also tourist attractions. The areas surrounding the city are beautiful. The scenic locales, old forts, boat rides and resorts …

See

thumb|Masunda Lake thumb|Upvan Lake

Buy

The old shopping areas are the ever busy Ram Maruti Road and the Naupada road towards Thane Station. There you will find shops on the roadside. New malls are coming up on Ghodbunder Road and the Eastern Express highway. Prominent among them are:

Eat

Gopalashram at LBS marg. Serves liquor till 6AM. The food isn't that great but if you are hungry at 3AM, check the place out. Goras Upahar Gruh and Goras Gruha, Gokhale Road for authentic Marathi snacks and sweets. Hotel Vijaydurg:Famous for Malvani food with delicious & spicy prawns, crabs, shell masala, malvani thali with fried pamphlet, bombil, halva etc. Solkadi to drink after food for digestion, at Majiwada before Flyover from station end. Indian Swad at LBS marg. Good food and serves liquor till 2AM. Serves Indian and Oriental cuisine. Kunjvihar, Near Thane railway station, Thane(W). A famous place for Jumbo (i.e. oversized) Vada-Paav, a typical Mumbaiya delicacy. You can have it either spicy or very spicy. ₹17. Mamledar Misal, opposite Zilla Parishad Office Moni's Near Malhar Talkies while entering Naupada market. It is a wonderful restaurant with a play area for children and fish tanks everywhere. The sizzlers are good if not the best and you could try the Royal Chicken sizzler if you ever do go there. The door man is rather peppy and the parking is always available on the adjacent road. Oriental Spice, Shreeji Arcade, Almeda Rd, Panchpakhadi, +91 22 2539 4917, +91 22 2542 1111. Chinese restaurant. Panchali is a bar and a restaurant. It is open till wee hours and is a better option than Gopal Ashram Prashant corner Panchpakhadi thane (west) A great place to try chaats and stuff. Raj Mata, Ram Maruti road, Thane. Famous for scrumptious vada pav, samosa pav. Be a sport …

Drink

Some of the restaurants listed under Eat have bars where you can have a drink, but Thane is not a place known for its nightlife. The lower end bars tend to be sleazy, so you need to be careful.

Cafe Coffee Day has two outlets here. Desi Garbar, Shop No. 6 & 7, Akanksha Society, Panchpakadi, Thane(W) Shop no 14,15, Ground Floor, Siddhachal Phase 4, Near Vasant Vihar, Pokhran Rd no 2, Thane(W).

Sleep

There are many lodges near the railway station, but there is a lack of decent hotels.

Go next

Mumbai Navi Mumbai Vasai-Virar has some nice beaches, and an old fort built by the Portuguese. Ganeshpuri, near Bhivandi (Kalyan) has hot springs, a temple and an ashram of Swami Nityanand.