Mumbai: Priya Dutt (MP) inaugurates Carmel Mela as part of the Bandra Fair

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Mumbai, 13 September 2010: Priya Dutt, the Member of Parliament and the resident of Bandra inaugurated the ‘Carmel Mela’ in the premises of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Sunday, 12th September 2010 at 11 am. Priya Dutt was welcomed by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. William Athaide and other priests of the parish, Fr. Waranor D’Souza, Fr. Byron Mendonca and Fr. Peter Drego and members of the Carmel Mela Organising Committee including Freddie Castelino from Moodubelle who has been the members of this committee since fifteen years. Cynthia D’Souza, another member of the organising committee welcomed Priya Dutt by offering her a bouquet of flowers.  The formal inauguration of the ’Carmel Mela’ was done by Priya Dutt by cutting the ribbon at the main gate. In a brief message, Priya Dutt said that she was happy to inaugurate the Carmel Mela as part of the feast of Mount Mary following the Eid-ul-Fitr and Ganesh Chaturthi.

 

Carmel Mela has been an integral part of the annual pilgrimage to Mount Mary and the Bandra Fair since the tradition had started many years ago. According to Frederick Castelion, up to 1962 the fair in the premises of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was known as the ‘China garden’ in which for eight days of the Bandra feast and fair, volunteers used to render their service in organising various entertainment programmes, lucky games and even jam sessions with music and dance. Mostly the local people used to take part in the ‘China Garden’ festivities. However, following the Chinese aggression in 1062, the name was changed to ‘September Garden’ as the pilgrimage and Bandra fair takes place in the month of September. The name underwent another change in early 1990s when it was renamed as ‘Carmel Mela’.

 

 

Bandra is known for churches and typical culture of its own. The church dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel was first blessed on 1st June 1894. The present church was blessed on 11th February 1981. It had been a tradition to hold the parallel fair at Mount Carmel which is being continued even in modern times. Since few years, the church hosts two giant wheels, one Tora-Tora merry-go round for adults and other smaller verities for children. The church also rents out stalls of various types.

 

The funds thus generated are being used for various charity purposes. According to Frderick Castelino, 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. Domestic workers and children from poorer families attend this night school. Certain part of the fund goes to Vincent De Paul Society and also to sponsor mission centres to build churches.

 

After the inauguration of the Carmel Mela, Priya Dutt had snacks and tea with the priests of the parish and the ‘Carmel Mela’ organising committee. She found some time to interact with Freddie Castelino holding his grandson-Tristan and his wife-Millie. The ‘Carmel Mela’ will go on till Sunday 19th September 2010. It will be extended for one day more till Monday, 20th September 2010, with concessional rates exclusively for the residents of Bandra as during the week they do not find time or opportunity to visit the Carmel Mela.