Heavy Rain Dampens First Day Of Bandra Fair As Stall Owners Fear Losses Amid Poor Visitor Turnout

The inaugural day of the Bandra Fair commenced under a downpour on Sunday, causing a subdued atmosphere as visitors shunned the event and stalls lining the Mount Mary steps struggled with diminished sales. A marquee at the entrance succumbed to the rain early, though there were no casualties reported. Stall owners expressed concerns over their financial losses, as the first day typically sees high footfall.

Irin Polly, a vendor of Goan sweets, lamented the lack of crowds, stating that Sundays generally draw the largest crowds. Polly, who had to sub-rent a stall for Rs 1.5 lakh this year, expressed uncertainty about recovering his investment.

The Bandra Fair, which marks the end of nine days of religious services at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, introduced a lottery system for stall allocation, replacing the traditional arrangement where families had rented stalls for generations. This year, Polly could not secure a stall and had to sub-rent one, paying more than double the usual cost.

The rain further impacted a free hair-cutting service by celebrity hairstylist Thomson Fernandes, drawing only a handful of customers despite Fernandes usually providing over 60 haircuts on the opening Sunday.

Rupesh Gomes, a member of a family that traditionally secured stalls, also failed to obtain a stall this year. He attributed the lower attendance to the heavy rains, the exorbitant stall fees, and the limited number of vendors selling Goan sweets, the fair's main draw. Some stall owners blamed the reduced turnout on the Ganeshotsav celebrations taking place elsewhere in the city. However, Irin Polly remained hopeful that the crowds would increase over the following days.