Offerings for Mahalakshmi

Offerings on sale for Goddess Mahalakshmi outside the temple. Her favourite flower is the Lotus. In the plate there are floral garlands, bangles, coconut, incense and a lotus in full bloom. In addition the devotee can buy a saree to be offered too.

Action!

Action at the Sassoon docks fish market.

Profile of Mount Mary church

The shrine of Our Lady of the Mount popularly known as Mount Mary or Mat Mauli, the corrupted form of Mata Mauli or Mother Mauli, is one of the most famous Christian shrines in India. The shrine, at that time a modest little hermitage, was founded by the Jesuits round about the years 1568-1570. In 1640 the hermitage was enlarged into a chapel. However another reference states, " In the year 1678 a chapel was built by the Portuguese and named Capella de N. Senhora do Monte, which was made filial to the ancient church of St. Anne."( B. L. D'silva in the Indian Antiquary XIX, pp. 443-44.) However one thing is certain that by 1679 it had become a famous place of pilgrimage frequented by Christrians and non-Christians alike. The present church which is a fine example of Gothic architecture with its noble facade and its soaring spires was built in 1904. he status of the shrine of Mount Mary was raised to a Minor Basilica by Pope Pius XII, at the time of the centenary celebrations of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
A huge fair is held in honour of Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and is celebrated during the Octave (Sunday to Sunday) following the feast on 8th September. During the period thousands of devotees from all walks of life with no discrimination of caste and creed throng the road leading to the chapel of Our Lady of the Mount that goes to show the secular nature and cosmopolitan character of Bombay city.
Info sourced from Maharashtra State Gazetteers 

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Spiritual tie up

up

A priest setting up shop on the way to the Mahalakshmi temple. He is selling threads that are blessed to ward off bad omens. These are tied to the wrists of the person who needs the protection. This belief system is very strong.

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Play on!

If music be the food of love, play on! A beautiful mural in Bandra.

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Vintage

Well maintained vintage house in Bandra.

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Monochrome mania

Transportation by handcart on Mohammed Ali Road.

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Mahalakshmi temple

Way to Mahalakshmi temple in Mumbai. This is one of the oldest temples in Mumbai built in 1771 A.D.
The legend is that 3 idols of the deity were immersed in the sea off Worli by the devotees to avoid desecration by the Muslim invaders. This was when Bombay comprised of 7 isalnds. Subsequently during British rule the British Governor William Hornby entrusted the task of connecting all the islands by a causeway to an Indian engineer Prabhu. The link between Worli and Malabar Hill kept breaking and one night Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared in his dreams and suggested he recover the idols from the sea and construct a temple on the coast, which he did, and all the islands of Bombay were successfully connected. Today it is one of the most visited temples in Mumbai
Due to restiction on photography of the temple, this is the best image I could get using my phone camera.

CDP Theme Day - Pink

Street art or Graffiti in Bandra.

Click on the link below to view a short clip I made on Street art in Bandra.😊

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St.Andrew's church

St. Andrew's Church is one of the oldest churches in Mumbai, built by the Portuguese Jesuits in 1575. Built by the sea in Bandra, it was the only church there till the first quarter of the 17th century.

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Vintage Bandra

In some parts of Bandra old structures and trees live on regardless of the onslaught of modernity.

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On a mission

Her expression suggests she is on a mission with a basket of fish on her head.

Old house

New age fashion guru and prolific photographer Firoze Shakir in front of an old house in Bandra.

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Monochrome mania

Waiting in his summer uniform, for his team to arrive, to play cricket in Girgaon.

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Sorted!

All the fish sorted and in the basket, ready to be carted to the retail markets of Mumbai from the largest fish market of Mumbai - Sassoon docks.

A minaret

A minaret of Haji Ali mausoleum in Worli.

The white orb

The white orb in the golden sky over the Arabian sea off the Mumbai coast.

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Dhobi ghat

Dhobi (washerman) Ghat (area) is an open air laundry in Mahalaxmi. The Dhobis work in the open to clean clothes and linen from hotels and hospitals in the area. This Dhobi ghat was built in 1890 and is a tourist attraction in Mumbai now.

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Old timer

An old timer happy to see visitors to Haji Ali. More visitors = More business! Visitors are blessed and shop keepers are blessed too! Win Win!

Travelling salesman

The 'kelawala' (banana seller) in Bandra east who will roam around the area all day to sell bananas.

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Monochrome mania

Selfie time with the girls traditionally dressed for a festival in Versova.

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Fish sorting

Sorting of the fish at Sassoon docks before taking it for selling door to door.

Seeking charity

Seekiing charity from devotees of Haji Ali, on the path from the dargah (mausoleum).

The sun trails

The evening sky in Bandra with clouds, sun rays and birds.

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Work space

Work space in Kumbharwada, Dharavi.

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Fish market

The largest fish market in Mumbai at Sassoon Docks.

Ma Hajiani dargah

The Ma Hajiani dargah (tomb) in Worli. This mausoleum was built in 1908 in honour of Ma Hajiani, a saint believed to be the sister of Saint Pir Haji Ali Bukhari. According to legend, they died at sea and their bodies were washed ashore, a few metres from each other. They were then buried at the respective places they were found. Subsequently two tombs were built - Haji Ali Dargah for the brother and Ma Hajiani dargah for the sister.

For a short video of the above, click on my travel post at Travel Magic

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Monochrome mania

Three wise men - a street scene in Bhuleshwar.

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Chadar and flowers

The 'Chadar' and floral garlands that can be offered at Haji Ali dargah, sold in the shop enroute.

Morning in Kumbharwada

Morning street scene in Kumbharwada, Dharavi.

Magical sunset

A magical sunset in Bandra last evening. The clouds are back!

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Garlands ready

Marigold floral garlands ready to be sold at a street corner in Worli koliwada.

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Winding up

Fishermen in the boats winding up for the day after having offloaded their catch at the Sassoon docks.

Haji Ali

The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early to mid 15th century. He travelled to India with his brother and finally reached Mumbai – near Worli. He then decided to reside there permanently for the spread of Islam.

Until his death he kept spreading knowledge about Islam and his devotees would regularly visit him. Before his death he advised his followers that they should not bury him in a graveyard but should drop his shroud ('kafan') in the ocean and should be buried by the people where it is found.

His wish was obeyed by his followers. That is why the Dargah Sharief is built at the very site where his shroud came to rest in the middle of the sea where it perched on a small mound of rocks rising above the sea about 500 yards from the Worli coast.

For a short video of the above, click on my travel post at Travel Magic

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