Heavy Rain Dampens First Day Of Bandra Fair As Stall Owners Fear Losses Amid Poor Visitor Turnout

Mumbai: The annual eight-day Bandra Fair got off to a tepid start on Sunday as heavy rain lashed the city through the day, keeping visitors away and affecting sales at the stalls lining the Mount Mary steps leading to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount. A shamiana at the entrance collapsed in the rain early in the morning, though no casualties were reported.

Poor Footfall Worries Stall Owners

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The fair marks the culmination of nine days of religious services at the basilica. However, the poor turnout on its first day left stall owners worried about recovering their expenses, with Sunday usually being among the busiest days.

Irin Polly, who has put up a stall selling Goan sweets, said he was worried about making a profit. “There are no crowds and Sundays are usually the busiest. I do not know how many days it will take for me to make a profit,” said Polly, who sells kadio bodia, bebinca, dodol, guava cheese, laddoos and other delicacies brought from Goa.

Lottery System Changes Stall Allocation

For the past two years, the basilica management has replaced the traditional system of allotting stalls to families that had rented them for generations with a lottery system. Polly failed to secure a stall this year and instead sub-rented one from an allottee.

“Earlier, I could get stalls for Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000. This time I paid Rs 1.5 lakh. I do not know if I will recover the money,” he said.

Rain Affects Free Haircut Initiative

The rain also affected the turnout at a free hair-cutting service being offered by celebrity hairstylist Thomson Fernandes at his salon on Chapel Road. Fernandes is offering free haircuts on the two Sundays marking the opening and closing days of the fair. By evening, only 10-12 people had availed themselves of the service.

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Last year, Fernandes gave more than 60 haircuts on the first Sunday and around 35 on the following Sunday. “I had to move my kiosk from outside because of the rains and had to take the customers inside,” he said.

Rupesh Gomes, a member of a family that traditionally secured stalls at the fair, also failed to get one this year. “Compared to last year, the crowds are less because of the rains. The stalls are expensive and there are very few stalls selling Goan sweets, which are the main attraction at the fair,” he said.

Some stall owners also attributed the lower turnout to the ongoing Ganeshotsav celebrations elsewhere in the city. Polly, however, hoped that the crowds would pick up over the coming days.

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