Mother Mary devotees joined the annual Mot Mauli Purcessao pilgrimage from St Michaels Church, Mahim, to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra, on Saturday morning.
The eight-day Bandra Fair, centred around the basilica, popularly called Mount Mary, will end on Sunday. The one-and-half hour journey recreated the first procession to the Bandra shrine 1761 when a rekla or a horse-drawn cart carried the Statue of Our Lady of the Mount.
The final leg of the procession started from St Peter’s Church, Hill Road and Mount Mary for the religious service at 9.30 am. "The procession is recreated to promote native devotion to the patroness of the East Indian community, Mount Mary," said Gleason Barretto, founder trustee of the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat which organised the event.
A traditional East Indian brass band, luzar or rosary, religious hymns, and East Indian themed costumes were among the highlights . The Bombay Velankanni Pilgrims Band performed at the procession and members of the St Peters Confraternity were part of the event.
