Mumbai News: Bandra’s Mount Carmel Church Celebrates Annual Feast With Traditional Scapular Procession And Community Festivities

Mumbai: Mount Carmel Church in Bandra observed its annual feast day on July 16, with the celebrations scheduled on Sunday. Officially called the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, it is among the newest in Bandra, having been built in 1894 when the local Catholic population increased.

The local Catholic community, the East Indians, call the celebration 'Betinichi Mauli Cha Sann', which means the festival of betin or scapulars that are distributed during the religious service. Scapulars - from scapula or shoulder in Latin - are worn by priests as part of their religious vestment.

Lay people wear a smaller version with religious images as a reminder of their Christian beliefs.

The church community has a group called the confraternity that organises the festival. Originally, the group consisted of men, but women are now part of the team. "It is holy week and Thanksgiving festival," said Collette Pesso, the head of the women's community.

The Mount Carmel festival is celebrated in a traditional style where the priests are ferried in a tonga, a horse cart with a chatir, or large umbrella, through Chapel Road. Women dress in the traditional nine-yard lugra sarees. A brass band plays hymns.

Residents line up on the street to splash water on the dancers in the procession. Portraits of holy figures and betins are distributed during mass. The Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, a community group, has been trying to revive its customs and traditions.