MUMBAI SUBURBAN, Maharashtra

Main Attraction: Mount Mary Church, Bandra

The shrine of Our Lady of the Mount, popularly known as Mount Mary, is one of the most famous Christian shrines in India, situated on a Verdant hill-top overlooking the sea, the Church with its twin spires soaring into the sky present a picturesque landmark to all who cross the Mahim creek.

The shrine was founded by the Jesuits about 1568 to 1570 A.D. In 1640 it was enlarged into a Chapel. The present edifice was built in 1904 and is a fine example of Gothic architecture. The auditorium is about 125 ft. X 40 ft. and is paved with marble slabs. The altar is of pure marble. The statue of Our Lady is about 5 ft. high and holds an image of the Child Jesus in her right hand. In 1954, the church was raised to the status of minor Basilica. The walls are covered with paintings depicting the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mount Mary fair is held during the octave following the feast on the 8th of September. Devotees come to pray and ask for favour and make their thanks giving in coins or offering consisting of candles or wax images.

Brief History

The Island of Mumbai passed from the Mohammedan kings of Gujarat to the Portuguese on 23rd December 1534. More than a hundred years Mumbai and its surrounding area was under the Portuguese rule. Later the transfer of the Island from the Portuguese to the British crown was effected on 18th February 1665 in accordance with the marriage treaty dated 23rd June 1661. The remaining land is bounded by Vasai creek at the north, Mahim creek at the south, Arabian sea at the west and Thane district at the east which was later came to be known as Sashti (Salsette) was under the control of Portuguese alongwith Goa. Sashti was under the Portuguese rule upto 1737. During 1772-73 and onwards the British took control over this area.

When Thane district was formed in the year 1817, the area known as Sashti was included in Thane as a tahsil. In 1917 BandraMahal was created separating 50 villages from this tahsil. In 1920 Salsettetahsil was bifurcated to form two separate tahsils viz., North Salsette (Thane district) and South Salsette (Mumbai Suburban district). The villages in south Salsette were scattered from Bandra to Dahisarand Kurla to Mulund. In the year 1920 Mumbai Suburban district created comprising the 84 villages of south Salsettetahsil. Later some villages from Borivalitahsil of Thane districts were transfered to Mumbai Suburban district and the south Salsettetahsil was transformed into Andheri tahsil.

In the year 1962, Kurla and Andheri tahsils were created by relocating some villages of Borivali and south Salsettetahsil. The present Mumbai (Suburban) district has three tahsil viz., Borivali, Andheri and Kurla tahsils consisting of 87 villages.

The independent post of collector of Mumbai Suburban district was abolished and the collector of Mumbai city was given the additional charge of Mumbai Suburban district in the year 1932. But later in the year 1958 due to the enormous work load, the revenue administration was handed over to the newly created post of Additional Collector. Since 1990 the Collector has been looking after the revenue administration as the Mumbai (suburban) district wihich is upgraded as a full fledged district.

The name Mumbai is derived from patron deity the Mother Goddess Mumba Devi worshiped by the earliest inhabitants the kolis. Later the Portuguese rechristened it as Bombay.