At various points during our heritage walk inside the Taj Mahal Palace at the Apollo Bunder, we had to pinch ourselves to shake off our make-believe imagery that had us starring in Granada TV’s Raj-inspired spectacle from the 1980s, The Jewel in the Crown.

The old garden and driveway that opened towards Mereweather Road has now given way to the swimming pool. In the old times, Victorias would line up outside to pick and drop guests