Getting into Top Gear in Mumbai Quiz

Answer: Tata Nano

The Tata Nano, produced by Tata Motors and launched in 2009, is an indigenous car targeted at customers who are looking to make the transition from two wheelers to four wheelers. Produced at such an affordable price, it has made owning a car seem accessible to people of the middle and lower middle class in India.

Answer: Left hand side

Since India was part of the British Empire, traditionally the rule of the road was to drive on the left hand side. This continued even after India became independent. Additionally, all vehicles in India are right hand drives unless special permission has been sought to import left hand drive vehicles.

Yet don't be surprised to see some people trying to make headway by driving on the wrong side of the road when stuck in a traffic jam. It can be quite unnerving for those just learning to drive and visitors to the city.

Answer: White shirt and khaki trousers

They may also wear a blue Gandhi topi (cap) and generally have a whistle dangling from their lips. The police in Mumbai wear a khaki shirt and trousers, the firemen wear a dark blue shirt and trousers and the luggage porters at railway stations wear a red shirt and white trousers.

Answer: Not wearing a helmet

Despite the chaotic nature of driving in Mumbai, lane cutting is still an offence officially and you can be given a ticket for it. Wearing a helmet is compulsory but only if you're riding a two wheeler. Even though you may have your reservations about the road safety in Mumbai, it is not so bad as to warrant car passengers wearing a helmet. Also, high safety standards have been used while producing the Nano, so you can leave the helmet to the bike riders.

Answer: A wedding procession

This Hindu wedding procession is known as a 'baraat'. Since Hindu weddings are based on the planetary alignments, they take place any time during the day or night whenever it is most auspicious. In earlier days, the groom made the journey from his house to the venue on a horse but now cars have replaced the horses though some still stick to the older traditions. Of course this is just an exaggeration. Traffic on small lanes or by lanes may be held up because of a wedding procession but it is highly unlikely that any of the main roads will be closed for this.

Answer: Lions and tigers

Bullock carts are still seen sometimes carting sugar cane and other farm produce from the outskirts of the city. Horse rides are common in parts of the city and the tonga rides are popular among tourists. Even though it is a myth that all Indians own elephants and use them for transportation (I have been asked this question once and the person was quite disappointed to hear that I, along with the majority of Indians, didn't own one after all), they are still seen in the city though rarely. Over the years, Mumbai has become a concrete jungle so the chances of coming across lions and tigers is definitely remote.

Answer: Black and yellow

Traditionally cabs in Mumbai were black with yellow roofs and one of two car models - the Ambassador and the Padmini. This has changed in recent times. The black and yellow government run cabs come in different models including Indica, WagonR and Esteem. Also recently a number of private operators have started running taxi rental services. Among them is 'Forsche', a taxi rental service that was launched in 2007 and run by women and exclusively for women, even husbands or other male relatives are not allowed to sit in them.

Answer: They are immersed in the sea.

Ganesha, the elephant headed Hindu god, is worshiped as the god of wisdom and prosperity. During the British Raj, the Maharashtrian freedom fighter, Lokmanya Tilak, used Ganesh Chaturthi as a platform to bring together people of all castes in a community celebration to foster a feeling of 'oneness' among them. These public celebrations have continued ever since.

Answer: London

The buses are run by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST) and have been plying in Mumbai since 1937. The double decker buses only run on a few select routes, while the single deckers have become more widely used.

Answer: He intends to take the next right turn.

Most drivers in Mumbai will use their hands to indicate that they plan to take the next turn. Since auto-rickshaws are open, it's not uncommon to see the driver stick out his leg instead of his hand. You may also come across this in other Indian cities like Ahmadabad where it's more widespread.

Thankfully you manage to reach the airport without any trouble and consider this to be a day well spent.