Its that time of year in Bandra when the festivities take over and make Bandra a colourful place. Bandra, Khar and Santacruz are such a huge melting pot of varied communities and religions and all festivals are celebrated with equal enthusiasm.
Bandra Fair is one of the biggest such festivals (or maybe an event) that gets celebrated in Bandra. Every September this feast of Mount Mary or Bandra Fair is celebrated on the Sunday after 8th September, the birthday of the Virgin Mary. Bandra Fair is a week long celebration that is visited by thousands of Christians and non-Christians. This year the Bandra Fair 2008 is being celebrated from September 14th to 21st.
The Bandra Fair involves the prayer at The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, more commonly known as Mount Mary Church. The Mount Mary Church stands impressively on a hillock about 80 odd meters above the sea level overlooking the sea. It’s a beautiful sight and it draws lakhs of devotees annually. Many faithful attest to the miraculous powers of the Mount and you find the faithful lighting candles and saying a silent prayer almost everyday. During the Bandra Fair, tens of thousands visit the shrine. The best part is that shrine attracts people from all faiths who pray to the statue for thanksgiving or requesting of favours. Bollywood movies have had their share of Mount Mary Church as a place for prayer and reunion of lost brothers or families in true bollywood istyle.
During the Bandra Fair, the entire area is decorated with festoons and buntings. Stalls selling religious objects, Candles, roasted grams, fast food and sweet items are set up along the road leading to Mount Mary Church.
This year like always the celebrations for Bandra Fair 2008 would be big. We just hope that the celebrations are arranged as well as they are always done and special care is taken to ensure security to all the devotees who come for the Bandra Fair 2008. Residents near Mount Mary Church in Bandra have expressed reservation over cooking on roadside and digging that is normally carried out in preparation of the Bandra Fair. At a meeting with the ward officers last week, they raised the issues concerning the festival. “Residents live in constant fear because of the cooking in case any accident occurs. We would be the worst sufferers,” said Lillian Pais, member of the Saint John Baptist Road Advanced Locality Management (ALM).
“We have just managed to get our road repaired after putting in a lot of effort,” said Maria D’Souza, member of Mount Mary Road ALM. “It is paver blocked. They should try to manage the crowd with drums.”
“We will not allow any cooking on the roads. Even stalls that sell nuts will be given a separate place,” said deputy municipal commissioner Arvind Hire. “We will not discount on the security of devotees, especially after the incidents at other religious places. However, we will ensure that minimum damage is done to the roads.”
More Bandra Blogs:
Proactive Citizens of Bandra, Khar and Santacruz
List of Colleges in and Around Bandra
Emergency Numbers in and around Bandra
