Salsette Island

Salsette, Trombay and the Seven Islands of Bombay

All this makes up what is today collectively known as Bombay City.

Salsette (meaning Sixty-Six Villages) is the main island that is surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the west, the Bassein (Vasai) Creek on the north, the Ulhas river on the north-east, the Thane Creek on the east and the Mahul-Mithi-Mahim river network (and its distributaries) on the south-east and south. On this island are three lakes - Tulsi, Powai and Vihar and some rivers such as the Dahisar river, Oshiwara river etc. Salsette extends from Bandra to Bhayendar - all the current suburban areas - if one uses todays geographical names.

Trombay is the island towards the east, seperated at one point of time from Salsette by the Mahul river. This part has now what is known as areas of Chembur and Trombay.

The seven islands of Bombay :

Colaba: whose name is a corruption of the Koli name Kolbhat. Todays areas of Colaba and Cuffe Parade lie in it.

Old Woman's Island: (alternatively, Old Man's Island) a small rock between Colaba and Bombay, whose name is a corruption of the Arabic name Al-Omani, after the deep-sea fishermen who ranged up to the Gulf of Oman. This part would would most probably be the stretch that links Nariman Point to Cuffe Parade.

Bombay: (THE MAIN BOMBAY) the main harbour and the nucleus of the British fort from which the modern city grew; it stretched from Dongri on the east to Malabar Hill on the west. This part is now what is known as Cumball Hill, Warden road and parts of Bombay Central.

Mazagaon: a Koli settlement to the east of Bombay island was seperated from it by Umarkhadi and Pydhonie. Most dockyard areas now are in this area. Carnac Bunder, Ferry Wharf, Wadi Bunder etc.

Worli: north of Bombay was seperated from it by the Great Breach, which extended westwards almost to Dongri. This is todays Worli.

Parel: North of Mazagaon and called by many other names, including Matunga, Dharavi and Sion. The original population was predominantly Koli.

Mahim: to the west of Parel and north of Worli, took its name from the Mahim river. Today too its nown by the name - Mahim.

Also note, in the map shown. Kalyan was known as Kalliannee, Dahanu as Dannoo, Vasai as Bassein, Agashi Bay as Angassee Bay, Thane as Tanna, Worli as Woorlee, Panvel as Panwell.