Letters to The EDITOR: Bandra Fair is a week-long celebration

Bandra Fair is a week-long celebration

Every year in the month of September, the feast of ‘Our Lady of the Mount’ is celebrated in a grand manner on the Sunday following September 8, the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of Jesus Christ. It is a week-long celebration that attracts over eight lakh people from all over Mumbai and its suburbs. The Bandra Fair is estimated to be around 550 years old.

During the 1700s, the church was invaded by a pirate army of Muscat Arabs. They chopped off the right arm of the statue of Virgin Mary and destroyed the church. The broken statue was then replaced with the statue of 'Our Lady of Navigators' from the nearby St. Andrew’s Church.

In the year 1761, the broken statue of the Virgin Mary was fixed and the church was rebuilt. The Bandraites then built a small detachable statue of infant Jesus in the place where the hand was chopped off. Currently, the same statue of Mother Mary is venerated at Mount Mary's Basilica.

The Mount Mary's Basilica is said to possess magical healing powers, enabling it to fulfil the deepest of desires of its patrons.

The steps along the fair route leading to the church had a name “Degrados de Bomonjee” or “Bomonjee’s Steps“, which were built by a Parsi gentleman named Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy in 1879 to link Mount Mary Road and Hill Road. It is believed that Mr. Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy wanted a daughter and prayed to Mother Mary at the Mount Mary's Basilica for one. His wish was fulfilled, and he built the steps on his daughter’s 8th birthday as thanksgiving. The fair attracts people of all faiths and communities all throughout the year. The term 'Bandra fair' refers to the celebrations that are connected with the annual feast of ‘Our Lady of the Mount’ on September 8, known as the ‘Feast of the Nativity (birth) of the Blessed Virgin Mary’. It becomes an important historical event because with the birth of Mary comes ‘the dawn of our salvation’, since Mary’s son, Jesus Christ, would be the Saviour of the world. This had already been predicted by many prophets of the Old Testament. If Mary had not consented to the Heavenly Father to be the Mother of Jesus Christ to bear Him in her womb, then there would have been no redemption and no salvation for mankind. Mary’s answer of saying ‘yes’ to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation ensured mankind’s deliverance from sin.

Jubel D'Cruz,

(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)

Beat poverty with literacy

Access to ‘quality education’ and the opportunity to learn are mingled with the broad understanding of literacy. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social interaction, and early school literacy is an essential ingredient for total literacy. A literate society, where the youth are not only skilfully trained to earn a living but are also taught innovation and thinking, is today’s need. Obviously, an illiterate individual is going nowhere in a competitive society where literacy can act as a bridge between misery and hope. It is a precious gift that can be passed through generations to alleviate the suffering of the people because literacy is a ladder out of poverty.   

Statistics have shown a clear relation between illiterate countries and poverty, and illiteracy has a bearing on prejudice against women. In the 21st century, literacy can no longer be viewed as a luxury, as it is both a right and a privilege; it implies dignity. Governments and other stakeholders have to reiterate their commitment to tackle illiteracy on International Literacy Day. Only when countries sit up and bolster literacy rates to meet the demands of the modern era can there be peace and prosperity in the world sans hatred and misgivings. 750 million global adults cannot read, and this number has to change.

Dr. Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)

Mamata Didi

After the gruesome rape and murder incident in RG Kar Medical College, which entirely exposed Didi and her TMC’s diabolic game plan to dilute the horrific crime, which rocked the entire nation. We, the Asomiya, still remember how she prevented the trucks carrying onions and potatoes from entering during the flood situation in Assam some time back. Her recent battle cry to all, including the North East, against provoking her government with dire consequences simply proves that Didi has lost her mental balance. Her minority appeasements have crossed the limit, as evidenced by the post-poll violence where the Hindus were the worst victims, forcing them to seek asylum in Assam apart from the SANDESHKHALI incident. Didi, for the sake of power, has converted WB into a mini-Bangladesh where goons from Bangladesh openly roam about to commit gruesome crimes like rape and murder, and her pet police force remains as a mute spectator. The Calcutta High has in the meantime openly reprimanded Mamata Begum’s TMC government for their misgovernance. It is high time that DIDI and her Co. should immediately be exiled to Bangladesh, as Mamata Begum seems to have no iota of respect for the nation’s constitution, as she has no loyalty to her nation for the lust of power. Very amusingly recently, she demanded the resignation of the Modi government due to reasons best known to her.

Fortunately, our Ripun Bora, TMC’s chief in Assam, has deserted TMC, terming it a regional party of WB.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

Beware of online fraudsters

Kudos to the Assam Police for launching a major crackdown against the network of cybercrimes in different parts of the state. The recent arrest of several online fraudsters in the state, allegedly cheating thousands of gullible people, has acknowledged the deep-rooted malaise of the situation. The CMs fervent appeal to the people of Assam not to invest in any non-banking financial company (NBFC) and institutions that have not received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) must be widely appreciated. Needless to say, the root of such sordid crimes lies in a basic disregard for time-tested human values with an overpowering greed for money and property. The growing craze for achieving materialistic prosperity without putting in hard work, the lure of easy money, and plummeting moral values are definitive factors behind the surge. What is needed is to ensure that the masterminds do not evade the police dragnet. Therefore, the investigating agency must actively investigate the extent of their fraudulent activities to bring justice to the victims who have been affected by their promises of tripling their investment in just a couple of days. It may be mentioned here that the fraudsters collected crores of rupees from thousands of investors in Assam and other neighbouring states, and they were living luxurious lives with money minted from such illegal trading. The arrest of illegal online traders in the length and breadth of the state must serve as an eye-opener for the common people who lost their hard-earned money for their dreams of becoming rich overnight.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati. 

Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents’ Day on September 8 is observed to celebrate the bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Grandparents not only love us more than our parents, but they also teach us some of the most important lessons about life. They play an integral role in shaping our lives and guide us when we are nothing, stand by us when the world is in our opposition, console us when we are emotionally broken, assist us when we are helpless, and protect us when we are in trouble.

Hence, we must always be with them and try to gain their love and warmth, as no one can replace them. Through their prayers and good wishes, we succeed in our lives and we progress in achieving our goals.

Grandparents are like angels in disguise. They always watch out for us and pray for us even when we don’t know it. They provide us with a safe space on which we can always count. They not only help their children and grandchildren in their learning and growth but also foster good habits and moral values amongst them. They are the vitamins for the child’s development. They are the ones who have made our parents the way they are. It is because of their upbringing that our parents love us immensely and care for us the same way our grandparents did when they were children.

My grandparents have always shown me what it means to live a life of fun, kindness, and generosity.

Grandparents are the eldest members of a family. They are the ones who take care of the whole family. Grandparents are the heads of a family and are the decision-makers of a family. It is a true blessing to have grandparents along with us. They are the ones who have built the path for our parents, so they are the best decision-makers for us. Grandparents are the ones who can teach us about mistakes and show us the right path. Therefore, grandparents are the essential part of a family, without whom our lives would have been miserable. It is a blessing to have our grandparents with us. Grandparents are the ones who make a complete family after our parents. They are the oldest members of a family who take responsibility for the entire family. Kids are adored the most by their grandparents, and they spend quality time with them.

Jubel D’Cruz,

(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)