As all roads lead to Bandra starting September, here is a glimpse of the most awaited September Garden that has been an integral part Bandra Fair since the tradition started many years ago. You know Bandra Fair has begun when you get the aroma of freshly prepared chana and you hear squeals of delight as the giant ferry wheel picks up momentum. This year the September Garden was inaugurated by cutting the ribbon at the main gate by two of our very own priests, Fr Alvaro Nazareth who celebrates 60 years of his ordination anniversary and Fr Christopher Goveas who celebrated 30 years.
Despite the rain, it was heartening to see our Parishioners at the inauguration.
The funds generated are being used for various charity purposes. The church uses part of the fund for running St. Aloysius Night High School, which provides education to those who work during day time and study in the evenings and for providing medical assistance to the poor. A certain part of the fund goes to Vincent De Paul Society and also to sponsor mission centres to build churches.
Over the years, with an increase in the number of pilgrims, the type of stalls too greatly increased. It is true that the large influx of pilgrims in a given venue can become a disturbance for the residents. Each year there is an attempt to find solutions to this problem.
A lot of hard work goes behind the scenes and meticulous planning to procure the requisite permissions. It would be unfair on my part if I didn’t mention the following individuals who work so hard behind the scenes:-
Gordon D’Silva – for coordinating stalls and legal formalities and for working hard to ensure all the paperwork is in order.
Ludwig Vessaoker – the man who climbs railings and works the hardest to ensure the banners and logistics are in perfect order.
Freddie Castellino – our finance man who makes sure we are on the right track with quotes and budgets perfectly maintained to comply with accounting and auditing standards.
Constance Amara – who makes sure the vendors have made their payments and coordinates logistics and legal formalities.
Cynthia D’Souza – for ensuring our main sponsor continues to support us.
Fr Reuben Tellis – for his unfailing support and guidance and for standing by the committee through thick and thin.
I remember as a child, my mom would buy the cane from the Bandra fair as a disciplinary measure for bad behaviour. I enjoyed the laughing mirrors, the well of death and buying the soapy bubbles to play with. I recall the nuns at the canteen that sold yummy sorpotel with sannas, which were the highlights of my time as a child. I remember decking up in my Sunday best clothes and climbing the steps to go for mass all decked up followed by veneration.
Fr. Reuben Tellis, Parish Priest of Mount Carmel Church, Bandra, recollects his time at the Mount over the years. “As a child, my parents would bring my brother and me to the Basilica for the veneration of the image of our Lady of the Mount. After the veneration, we did the customary walk down the fair. As a youth, I used to join the parish walking pilgrimage to the Mount, praying the Rosary and it was quite an experience to walk together with a few hundreds of parishioners from Santa Cruz.
As a seminarian, I participated in the walking pilgrimage to the Mount from Goregaon starting at 3 am on the Wednesday of the Octave. After freshening up, we would have mass con-celebrated by the seminary priests and I would be part of the choir. I walked every year of my seminary studies. As joint director of the youth, I was part of the committee helping with the arrangements at the Mount and now, I celebrate masses and sit for confessions.”
Many people Bandra Fair has lost its charm but I say Bandra Fair is not just another event, its an emotion we as Catholics look forward to each year.
