Eat, pray, buy: 23 cheap thrills at the Bandra Fair

Miley Cyrus vs. Mother Mary, Christian bride Barbie, wax body parts and frightening Ferris Wheels -- all on this photo tour of Mumbai's Mount Mary street fair

By Anuradha Sengupta 16 September, 2010

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Bandra Christian bride Barbie. Click through for other purchasing highlights.

For seven days every year, the stretch from Carmel Church to Mount Mary Steps in Bandra's Christian suburb is taken over and transformed by this annual fair.

Ceramic tea sets sold in zip lock plastic bags. Set of six for Rs 50.

The rusty, clanking capsules of the ferris wheel are not for the fainthearted.

This butterfly-in-the-stomach (not-in-a-good-way) goes for Rs 30 a spin. Cheap thrills.

The crochet dresses at Dev Anand's stall are very French vintage. Anand has travelled all the way from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh. He sells kid's dresses from Rs 175, napkins and doilies from Rs 15. Skirts and blouse for girls from Rs 320.

Churan-- digestives never looked so good.

Everyone's out in their colorful Sunday best, whether you're Christian or not.

Glass lanterns, Rs 100 each -- great for the next time the lights go out or for a terrace dinner setting.

Handmade wristbands and keychains woven to order on the spot by Amir.

It's bespoke handwork, you can get your name done in a matter of minutes for a mere Rs 20.

Hannah Montana is prolific. Who would have thought to see her here?

Maybe not Miley Cyrus but Mother Mary -- her you'd expect at her own festival.

You can't escape Jesus Christ, he is everywhere. On posters, stickers, keychains, small figurines, crosses, framed prints, on CD covers.

Collections of plastic crosses, if there's one little thing to buy here it would be a rosary.

The saffron and brown colors resemble a Hindu rudraksh.

So Sandra, what should we do now?

Mohammed Iliyas can make ten different chakli designs in a matter of minutes. His chakli maker is a steal for Rs 50. It can be great for cake icing too.

Courting couples make a beeline for the popular Name On Rice stalls, standard fare at all Indian melas.

Fudge-like mewa peda from Uttar Pradesh at Rs 40 for 250g.

Ruby and Delucia have bought a Jesus Christ poster for their mother for Rs 20. A set of Christ stickers costs Rs 30.

Shanti from Mankhurd sets up her balloon stall.

Stalls selling wax items from candles to idols of Mother Mary cluster around the church.

People buy wax items based on what they want from Mother Mary -- a house, children, money.

You can even buy wax body parts like arms and legs in case you have an ailment that you'd like Mother Mary to fix.

Squares of sticky halwa squares in virulent red and green, they go for Rs 40 a piece.

Yunus is selling slogan T-shirts for Rs 150 each. He also has all the hard rock stars prints.

The Clown Train and other rides make up for the lack of Disney World.

Scenes like these capture what the Bandra Fair is all about -- a family outing.

A merry-go-round ride called Radha.

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For seven days every year, the stretch from Carmel Church to Mount Mary Steps in Bandra's Christian suburb is taken over by thousands of people and the hordes of weird and wonderful things on offer at Mumbai's Bandra Fair.

Held after the first Sunday of Mother Mary’s birthday, Mumbai's Bandra Fair began this week and runs until September 19.

Although the fair commemorates the nativity of the Virgin Mother, families from all religions and backgrounds queue up at the beautiful Mount Mary Church, built in the 16th century and at the stalls set up outside.

There's music and food everywhere. Remo's "Bombay Meri Hai" can be heard over the strains of religious songs.

Snacks like kadio bodio (maida and sugar sticks) and mawa peda (a fudge-like sweet that melts in your mouth) and guava cheese (thick jellied slabs made of guava fruit) are those you wouldn't find on the average dessert tray.

Hawkers and their talking parrots

Bandra people are fond of narrating the tale of their neighborhood fair. It all began when a Koli fisherman found a statue of Mother Mary floating in the Arabian Sea. Nothing unusual about that? But they say he had a dream about the statue a few years before.

The fair isn't without controversy. This year, citizens' groups, backed by angry commuters, have been trying to get "illegal stalls" (read hawkers) removed.

But my visit on opening Sunday showed the fair's spirit has prevailed. People from all classes and religions have been celebrating Bandra this way for more than two centuries.

Right now the space in front of the upscale Salt Water Cafe has been taken over by people selling talking parrots.

You can't help but smile at the look of bewilderment on peoples' faces as they get out of their swanky cars, trying to figure out a way to get in for dinner.

Check out the photos for more of the color of the Bandra Fair.

Anuradha Sengupta is a journalist/editor whose body of work has appeared in print and broadcast media in India and abroad.

Eat, pray, buy: 23 cheap thrills at the Bandra Fair

Hawkers and their talking parrots

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