Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 14:52:09 +0100
Subject: Bombay --> Mumbai


hi all!

i have a few rather specific questions concerning "postcolonial"
bombay/mumbai, following a vague hope that i may find an expert on
indian local politics among the joiners of this list...

i am currently preparing a bombay-mumbai-chapter for a study on the
representation of aspects of so-called cultural globalization and other
concepts of po-co theory in rushdie's work ( to explain this very
vaguely where my english leaves me...) and would be very grateful for
information on the following topics:

- when exactly was bombay renamed mumbai and who (which parties or
prominent figures)  was it who supported that issue
in public? are both names still in use with the people or is it some
sort of a political
statement which one to use? how do locals feel about it? (it struck me
that mr. r always
seems to stick to Bombay in his novels and whenever he uses Mumbai it
has a
somewhat nationalist, hindu-fundamentalist touch to it.)
and the other thing is
- when (roughly) did the Shiv Sena appear on the political stage in
Bombay and do
they still have lots of followers today?

this may not seem too specific after all, but i have found it difficult
to find reliable indian sources here in hamburg and was interested in
the opinion of a local.
if anyone else can offer a hint/link on where to look this will be much
appreciated!!

thanks a lot

swenja

hamburg, germany



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