260 Years Later, Mumbai's East Indians Retrace Mount Mary Statue's Historic Journey From Mahim To Bandra
Mumbai: More than 260 years after the statue of Mount Mary is believed to have been taken from Mahim to the Mount Mary's Basilica in Bandra, members of Mumbai’s East Indian community on Saturday retraced the journey on foot as part of the 10th annual ‘Mot Mauli Purcessaav’. Organised by the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), the procession began at St Michael’s Church, Mahim, at 8am, with around 200…
Mumbai’s East Indian community commemorated the 260th anniversary of the statue of Mount Mary’s relocation from Mahim to the Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra on Saturday. The 10th annual “Mot Mauli Purcessaav” was organized by the Mumbai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP). Around 200 participants donned traditional East Indian attire and began the procession at 8am from St Michael’s Church in Mahim.
A rekla, carrying a statue of Mother Mary, propelled the march with the traditional horse cart mode of transportation that accompanied the statue’s journey in 1761. Additional groups, including those from St Peter’s Church, joined the procession at 8.30am, leading to Mount Mary’s Basilica in Bandra. The Bombay Velankanni Pilgrims Band played hymns during the procession.
The annual event aims to connect the community with its religious and cultural heritage while reminding younger members of the Mumbai-rooted traditions surrounding the Mount Mary feast. The procession concluded at the Basilica, where participants celebrated an Eucharistic service at 9.30am, adding the symbolic step-by-step climb up the Basilica steps as a reminder of the pilgrimage.
The MGP, which has been organizing this procession annually as part of its Mot Mauli Project, also conducts other religious projects like the St Gonsalo Garcia Project, Kuruz Holy Cross Project, and Besaav Project.
Written by urgent.news from Free Press Journal's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
