Mumbai: ‘Bandra Fair no longer reflects local culture’

Members of the East Indian community at Bhoomiputra Samaj rally last month at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount in Bandra West

As the standoff between Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount authorities and prospective stall renters continues, the Bhoomiputra East Indian Samaj, representing Mumbai's indigenous community, has called for a ban on the Bandra fair, citing concerns about the event's ‘increasing commercialisation'.

The Bhoomiputra East Indian Samaj argues that the annual event no longer reflects the local culture and religious devotion it was originally intended to celebrate.

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The East Indian community claims they have been marginalised and denied stalls at the week-long celebration. Community leaders allege that church authorities and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials have systematically excluded them, depriving the community of its right to celebrate a 300-year-old tradition.

Preparations are in full swing at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount ahead of the 300-year-old Bandra fair on Sunday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

"The Bandra Fair, traditionally centred around the veneration of the Miraculous Statue of Mount Mary, was founded by the East Indian community, comprising Aagris, Kolis, Bhandaris and Kunbis. What began as a deeply devotional festival for the Catholic community has now grown into a large-scale fair that attracts crowds from various religious backgrounds," said Gleason Barretto of the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP).

Call to refocus on devotion

This year, the annual Bandra fair will take place from September 8 to September 15, celebrating the feast of Our Lady of the Mount to commemorate the birthday of the Virgin Mary. During this period, the BMC auctions the first 20 stalls along Mount Mary Road and part of Kane Road. This year, the BMC has invited applications for 430 pitches along Kane Road, Rebello Road and St John the Baptist Road in Bandra West.

"The Bandra fair is the only fair in the world that does not have stalls showcasing the culture, tradition, heritage, handicrafts and merchandise of the indigenous people," said Barretto. Despite repeated requests over the past decade, their pleas for stalls to showcase East Indian specialities have gone unheard.

The community points out that the fair has been "hijacked by outsiders", highlighting the disconnect between its original intent and current commercialised form. They claim their appeals to the church authorities, the BMC, and political leaders have consistently been met with either dismissive responses or empty assurances.
Stall allotment struggles

In previous years, the church and BMC have been accused by community members of selectively allotting stalls to regular or high-bidding vendors, sidelining the indigenous community. Requests for the inclusion of East Indian cultural and craft stalls were ignored, and attempts to discuss the issue with authorities have been unfruitful. As a result, the East Indian community has felt increasingly marginalised, with no space to promote their cuisine and artefacts.

The community also raised concerns about the need for the Mass to be celebrated in Marathi during the feast. They requested that the recessional hymn be sung in the East Indian dialect. However, these suggestions were not considered.

"We were the first to promote and support the celebration, but what began as a religious event has now become a commercial venture. The East Indian community has played a major role in assisting the church and municipal authorities in organising the feast since its inception. Despite our contributions, we have been neglected by them. For years, we have requested that the church authorities celebrate the Mass in the East Indian Marathi dialect, but these requests have fallen on deaf ears.

Stalls, which were once affordable, are now rented to outsiders who sublet them multiple times, eventually renting them out for lakhs - an amount that is unaffordable for us. In our latest communication to the authorities, we demanded two daily Marathi Mass services on all eight days of Holy Week," said Alphi D'Souza, MGP's MMR CEO.

‘Showcase local culture'

He added, "We have also requested that the authorities set aside a few stalls for us so we can promote local East Indian culture and cuisine. People from across the country visit the Bandra fair, and it is vital to showcase the local culture and traditions. In the absence of this, we have demanded that the fair be banned and that the focus be solely on church services."

The MGP has initiated its own efforts to promote East Indian culture. These include the East Indian Bazaar, held in various Mumbai villages to showcase local food and handicrafts, and the Mot Mauli Yatra, a procession that revives a century-old tradition from Mahim church to the fair.

Community leaders believe that recent events, including the cancellation of the fair during the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing protests by stall owners, are signs that the focus should shift back to religious devotion rather than commercial activities. "These are signs to focus more on devotion rather than on casual aspects and commercialization," said D'Souza.

Communication to authorities

The Samaj plans to send a formal communication to the archbishop of Bombay, the rector of Mount Mary Church, the chief minister of Maharashtra, and the municipal commissioner, urging them to consider their demands.

Sept 8
Day Bandra fair begins

List of Bhoomiputra East Indian Samaj's demands

Indigenous language representation
. Two daily Marathi services in church throughout the eight days of Holy Week
. All services during the week should conclude with the East Indian hymn Devache Mae.
. A special Mass in East Indian Marathi on September 14, 2024

Indigenous representation in stalls and banners
. A dedicated zone of around 10 stalls for the East Indian Bazaar initiative
. Placement of a banner stating, "The Bhumiputra East Indian Community welcomes you to the Bandra fair"
. Preference for Indigenous people's handicrafts, food and merchandise stalls on the steps of Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount

Preservation of religious traditions and heritage
. Annual restoration of the Mount Mary Church before the festival
. A stall at the entrance of the steps to raise funds for the St Gonsalo Garcia Chapel
. Church announcements and special ads in the Examiner to promote MGP's annual procession from Mahim church to Mount Mary