The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a prestigious luxury
hotel located in the
Colaba region of
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, next to the
Gateway of India.
The Taj Mahal Palace hotel resort was commissioned in
Indo-Saracenic style by
Tata and first opened its doors to guests on 16 December 1903.
It is widely believed that Tata decided to build the luxurious hotel after he was refused entry to one of the city's grand hotels of the time, Parke's Apollo Hotel, as it was restricted to 'whites only'. However, this story has been challenged by some commentators that suggest that Jamsedji Tata was unlikely to have been concerned with 'revenge' against his British adversaries. Instead they suggest that the Taj was built at the urging of editor of the Times of India who felt a hotel "worthy of Bombay" was needed
2008 terrorist attack
On 26 November 2008, in a series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the hotel (as well as the
Oberoi) was attacked, during which material damage occurred including the destruction of the roof of the hotel in the hours afterwards.
[4] Hostages were taken during the attacks. At least 167 people were killed
[5] in the attacks and 293 wounded
[5] (the numbers include casualties at CST railway station, The Oberoi Hotel, Nariman House and the Cama Hospital), including many foreigners. The casualties were mostly Indian citizens, although westerners carrying foreign passports were singled out. Indian commandos killed the Pakistani gunmen barricaded in the hotel to end the three-day battle.
More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal_Palace_%26_Tower
The Gateway of India (Marathi: भारताचे प्रवेशद्वार) is a monument in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India. Located on the waterfront in Apollo Bunder area in South Mumbai, the Gateway is a basalt arch 26 meters (85 ft) high.
