Part of a series on the History of Mumbai
Pre-historic period
Kolis
Ancient period
Silhara dynasty King Bhimdev
Islamic period
Gujarat Sultanate Haji Ali Mosque Treaty of Bassein
Portuguese period
St. Michael’s Church Garcia de Orta Bombay Castle Battle of Swally
British period
Hornby Vellard Treaty of Salbai Plague epidemic of 1890s Rowlatt Satyagraha SS Fort Stikine and the Bombay Explosion Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
Independent India
Samyukta Maharashtra movement Bombay Riots 1993 bombings 2005 Floods 2006 train bombings 2008 terrorist attacks
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The history of Mumbai recounts the growth of a collection of seven islands on the west coast of India, becoming the commercial capital of the nation, and one of the most populous cities in the world. Although human habitation existed since the Stone Age, the Kolis, a marathi fishing community,^[1] were the earliest known settlers of the islands. The Maurya Empire gained control of the islands during the 3rd century BCE, and transformed it into a centre of Hindu and Buddhist culture and religion. Later, between the 2nd century BCE and 9th century CE, the islands came under the control of successive indigenous dynasties: Satavahanas, Abhiras, Vakatakas, Kalachuris, Konkan Mauryas, Chalukyas andRashtrakutas, before being ruled by the Silharas from 810 to 1260.

King Bhimdev established his kingdom in the region in the late 13th century, and brought many settlers to the islands. The Muslim rulers of Gujaratcaptured the islands in 1348, and they were later governed by the Gujarat Sultanate from 1391 to 1534. The Treaty of Bassein between the Portuguese viceroy Nuno da Cunha and Bahadur Shah of the Gujarat Sultanate placed the islands into Portuguese possession in 1534.

The islands suffered incursions from Mughals towards the end of the 17th century. During the mid-18th century, the city emerged as an important trading town, with maritime trade contacts with Mecca and Basra. Economic and educational development characterised the city during the 19th century with the first-ever Indian railway line beginning operations between Mumbai and neighbouring Thane in 1853. The city became a strong base for the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century and was the epicentre of the Rowlatt Satyagraha of 1919 and Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946.^[2] After India’s independence in 1947, the territory of Mumbai Presidency retained by India was restructured intoMumbai State. The area of Mumbai State increased, after several erstwhile princely states that joined the Indian union were integrated into Mumbai State.

In 1960, following protests from the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, the city was incorporated into the dominion of the newly createdMaharashtra State from Mumbai State. The city’s secular fabric was torn apart in the communal riots of 1992–93, while the bombings of 1993caused extensive loss of life and property. The city was renamed Mumbai in 6 March 1996.

Geologists believe that coast of western India came into being around 100 to 80 mya after it broke away from Madagascar. Soon after its detachment, the peninsular region of the Indian plate drifted over the Réunion hotspot, a volcanic hotspot in the Earth’s lithosphere near the island of Réunion. An eruption here some 66 mya is thought to have laid down the Deccan Traps, a vast bed of basaltlava that covers parts of central India. This volcanic activity resulted in the formation of basaltic outcrops, such as the Gilbert Hill, that are seen at various locations in the city. Further tectonic activity in the region led to the formation of hilly islands separated by a shallow sea.^[3]Pleistocene sediments found near Kandivaliin northern Mumbai by British archaeologist Todd in 1939 indicate habitation since the Stone Age.^[4] The present day city was built on what was originally an archipelago of seven islands of Bombay Island, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman’s Island (also known asLittle Colaba).^[5] The islands were coalesced into a single landmass by the Hornby Vellard engineering project in 1784. By 1000 BCE, the region was heavily involved in seaborne commerce with Egypt and Persia.^[6] The Koli fishing community had long inhabited the islands.^[7] They wereDravidian in origin and included a large number of scattered tribes along the Vindhya Plateau, Gujarat, and Konkan. In Mumbai, there were three or four of these tribes. Their religious practices could be summed up as animism.^[8]