Mumbai’s Mount Mary fair attracts thousands of devotees, revellers alike

Devotees pay their respects at Mount Mary Church, Bandra, on the first day of the Mount Mary Fair in Mumbai on Sunday. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

Published on: Sep 11, 2017 11:39 AM IST

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Devotees pay their respects at Mount Mary Church, Bandra, on the first day of the Mount Mary Fair in Mumbai on Sunday. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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The celebrations centred around Mount Mary Basilica, also referred to as the Festival of Mary, traditionally began from the first Sunday after September 8, which is celebrated as the birthday of Mother Mary. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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The festival goes on till the next Sunday. This year, the church has been decorated with plants. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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Devotees and enthusiasts gather in huge numbers from early morning and stay till the evening. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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Shops and kiosks running on either sides of the fair varied from Rajasthani pickles to Goan sweets to souvenirs and mementos of Jesus and Mary. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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The fair started when a statue of Mother Mary was found floating in the Arabian Sea between 1700 and 1760, which, according to a legend, a Koli fisherman had dreamt about a few years earlier. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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Transcending religious barriers, around 10 lakh people from diverse communities throng the three-centuries-old fair each year. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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On September 8, the birthday of Mother Mary, thousands of devotees visited the church for the 8.30am mass led by Oswald Cardinal Gracias, archbishop of Bombay. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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Preachings at the church this year will reflect the theme ‘Care For Creation’. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)

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On September 20, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the archbishop of the Bombay diocese, will be addressing the devotees. (Satyabrata Tripathy/Hindustan Times)