“One of the oldest Church, Mount Mary ‘Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount’ stands at a beautiful location in Bandra West, facing the wide Arabian sea. Visit the yearly fair or just any time in a day when around, But Mount Mary Church is a must to visit place on you wish list attractions and spiritual places in Mumbai..”
Church History
In 1954, The National Marian Congress Pope Pius X11 designated the shrine as a Monor Basilica. The Shrine was renovated and given most of its presently looking features in 1904 as part of the golden jubilee of the Pope Pius IX Declaration of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. Since this church is dedicated to the Virgin Mother Mary, a yearly festival is conducted in September to honour Mother Mary. Its a week long affair and is popularly known as the Bandra Fair. The feast of Mount Mary is celebrated on the Sunday after 8th September, That’s the Birthday of the Mother of Jesus.
Mount Mary Festival
The Nostalgic feeling of festive & surrounding is all to set your mood right from Bandra railway station till church for all 10 days. Church premise is decorated with garlands and flags and the fair moments makes you feel like at a small carnival. Goan specialities Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel and Bibinca tempt you to make the visit to the church during the festival.
For kids there are toys, candy floss and lots of snacks and munches. There’s also the famous Ferris-Wheel ride which children love to take a ride. Goan Sweets, roasted grams, religious objects, wax idols of Virgin Mary and various candles shaped like hands and feet are sold.
It is believed that if the ailing choose a part that corresponds to their non-functioning or unwell body part and light it, they are miraculously cured. Every year fair is always on Bandra’s attractions list and proper security and vehicle movement and restrictions are in place always.
Church Premise and Inside Videos
Inside video of Church
Outside Location video of Church
Location of Mount Mary Church in Bandra
The Church is on a hillock area around 80 meters above sea level and overlooks the Arabian Sea. The Mount is said to have done miracles. You’ll find many people in faith of same who’ll stand by that statement. Apart from millions who visit the church during the Yearly Bandra Fair, there are people who come to pray and thanksgiving or to even casually ask favours of the gracious Mother.
The Current statue has a long and mysterious history of more then 100 years now. In the sixteenth century Jesuit priests from Portugal brought the statue of Our Lady to Mumbai and constructed a chapel. Arab pirates, who were interested in the object lined with gold, cut off the right hand of the statue in 1700. Local belief is that the original chapel was destroyed during a Maratha raid in the year 1738. However, in 1760 the church was rebuilt and the statue was replaced by the statue of Our Lady of Navigators in St. Andrew’s church which is not far from this church.
There is a fascinating story linked to this statue, A koli fisherman has dream that he would find the statue in the sea. And indeed it was found floating in the water in the period from 1700 and 1760. The statue was installed in St.Andrew’s Church before being put back in Mount Mary. A Jesuit Annual Letter of 1669 published in the book St. Andrew’s church, Bandra supports this claim. The statue was re-adorned with a child in the arms and has been there since then.
See Also : Bandra Attractions, The famous connected Bandstand promenade.
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