Bandra Fair
bandra fair weeklong fair held annually bandra suburb mumbai bombay india start sunday following th september bandra fest mount st mary church festival nativity lady virginmother jesus christ bandra fair estimatedly around year old according legend celebration began statue st mary discovered floating arabian sea koli christian fisherman already dreamt earlier monti fest celebrated goans karwaris mangaloreans similar bandra fest coincides nativity although current church edifice year old history behind current statue lady mount go back th century jesuit priest portugal brought statue bandra constructed church arab pirate disfigured statue cutting right hand church rebuilt statue substituted statue lady navigator st andrew church nearby statue interesting legend go koli fisherman dreamt would find statue sea statue indeed found floating sea sometime jesuit annual letter dated published book st andrew church bandra – support claim believed miracle local bandra fair started celebrate event however original statue lady mount renovated child arm returned church shrine began attracting tourist pilgrim surrounding area bombay city beyond devotee used arrive foot hill bullock cart arrived ferryboat across mahim creek would park cart along grove mango tree foot hill walk slope basilica top concluding spiritual obligation pilgrim would move back whilst enjoying merry fair fair draw lakh devotee pilgrim annually fair ten thousand visit shrine lady mount shrine attracts people faith pray mary thanksgiving requesting favour many pitch stall selling religious object assortment candle shaped like hand foot various part body people ill choose one corresponds ailment offer basilica along supplication visiting basilica pilgrim descend mount using step eastern side stall lining side way offer pilgrim sweet like guava cheese kadio bodio tiny stick made maida flour dipped sugar syrup dried goa mawa peda thick cookie made using evaporated milk uttar pradesh halva kerala tamil nadu delhi chikki sweet made groundnut jaggery maharashtra usually found stall fair stall erected within boundary basilica come jurisdiction activity beyond organized controlled brihanmumbai municipal corporation stall line street gate bottom step way old september garden located mount carmel church compound tail end fair recently many issue raised resident residing mount mary road bandra fair take place resident complained public transport reserved pilgrim fair leaving nearby resident transport due large scale cooking road resident complained pollution many complained mosquito increase number fair also nearby dental clinic dispensary mount mary road prefer remain closed fair bandra fair popular mumbai every year different political party set political banner across suburb bandra inviting pilgrim fair bandra fair known monti saibiniche fest konkani vernacular also popular outside india especially indian catholic diaspora similar event called bandra feast organized annually india social cultural centre iscc abu dhabi bahrain mount mary festival mount mary church bandra hindustan time mount mary church