Mumbai: As concerns over delayed monsoon showers continue to grow, East Indian communities across Mumbai have turned to centuries-old traditions, organising prayer processions and rosaries to seek divine intervention for much-needed rainfall.
Kurla Gaothan Prayer Procession
Around 150 residents of Kurla Gaothan gathered on Saturday for a traditional Prayer for Rains Procession and Rosary, reviving an ancestral custom that has long been part of the East Indian community's spiritual heritage. Organised by the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) Kurla Unit, the procession began at the Villagers Cross in Kurla and wound its way through Old Kurla Gaothan, halting at five historic Holy Crosses before concluding at the revered Miraculous Phool Dongri Holy Cross.
Participants walked in prayer and reflection, continuing a practice handed down through generations. The final prayers were offered at the more than century-old Phool Dongri Cross, believed to have miraculous powers, which was relocated from the premises of Mumbai International Airport to the Kurla Church compound.
Prayers & Traditional Hymns
The rosary and prayers were led by Edward Dmello in East Indian Marathi, while traditional hymns associated with prayers for rain echoed through the gaothan. Villagers of all ages joined in the solemn observance, underscoring the enduring significance of faith in community life.
Theresa Correia, MGP Kurla Gaothan Coordinator, described the event as a reaffirmation of the East Indian community's rich spiritual and cultural legacy. "Historically, villagers have gathered at local Holy Crosses during periods of drought, disease and hardship, seeking divine protection and blessings," said Correia.
MGP Sarpanch on Rainfall After Prayers
Tolstoy Gomes, MGP Sarpanch of Old Kurla, said that the occasion assumed added significance when rainfall was recorded in the area shortly after the prayers, a development he viewed as a blessing and a reaffirmation of their faith.
The MGP Kurla Unit urged East Indian organisations across Mumbai's gaothans to revive similar traditions, stressing the importance of preserving ancestral customs for future generations.
Marol Village Prayer Service for St Anthony
A day earlier, residents of Marol in Andheri East held a comparable prayer service dedicated to St Anthony, revered by Catholics as the Patron Saint of Lost Things. The event commenced with the blessing of the saint's statue by Fr Anthony Fernandes, Parish Priest of St John the Evangelist Church, before a solemn procession through the village streets.
More than 100 residents participated in the prayerful gathering, carrying the statue of St Anthony and reciting hymns and prayers as they walked through Marol Village. The faithful prayed for abundant rainfall amid concerns about the delayed onset of the monsoon and its potential impact on water availability.
The calls for divine intervention extended beyond the East Indian community. Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Director General of Wisdom Foundation, also appealed to people from all faiths to pray for rain, reflecting a shared concern over the monsoon's delay.
Together, these events highlighted not only the power of faith during times of uncertainty but also the determination of Mumbai's diverse communities to preserve traditions that have shaped their cultural identity for generations.
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