A Mumbai suburb revels in its past and present

MUMBAI: For over a fortnight, the Mumbai suburb of Bandra lay in celebration - a heady mix of music, dance, art and theatre that spelt festivities as well as nostalgia for the young and old.

Residents of the township came together with infectious enthusiasm for "Celebrate Bandra 2007", a bi-annual festival.

"This year, heritage was the focal point at Celebrate Bandra. While change is inevitable, it is important not to lose track of our roots. Today, Bandra is a Bollywood and food haven...Celebrate Bandra took a few moments to remember the Bandra that once was," says Patricia Nath, secretary of the Celebrate Bandra Trust.

Adds Vidya Vaidya, a trustee, "Bandra is as much about its people as it's about its places and Celebrate Bandra brings all of its people together wholeheartedly, with vigour and warmth."

Situated in the southwestern corner of the island of Salsette, Bandra's historical importance is noteworthy.

"Historically, Bandra has been an important business hub, supplying meat, salt and fish to the rest of Mumbai city. As suburbs beyond Bandra came up, it served as a much-needed connecting point, making it the queen of suburbs," says Jayanti Shukla, joint secretary of the Trust.

Shukla, chairperson Darryl D'Monte and other trustees toiled for six months to string the celebrations together.

Last Sunday evening, the Lands end Amphitheatre swooned to jazz while on  Monday the Carter Road Promenade was abuzz with old time hits belted out by local band Retro Park. The wind brought with it the first whiff of the Mumbai winter; the lanterns painstakingly decorated by the residents of Bandra rustled in appreciation.

Through the festival, the young and old alike swayed to the tunes of Indi-pop singer Usha Uthup, Maharashtrian folk music, Hindustani instrumental and popular English numbers. And, if you didn't catch an old man shaking a leg and more, you obviously weren't hanging out at the Bandra festival!

At Celebrate Bandra, even theatre came with an interesting twist. Pali Village housed street plays minus any props in the village centre. Like the good old days, residents were seen hanging out of balconies to catch a view and even becoming a part of the performance!

Art enthusiasts etched murals across Bandra's promenades while short films like Rohan Sabharwal and Andrew Fernandes' "Romson and Juliana" took cinema lovers through Bandra's history with the tale of the feuding Cardozos and Mendonca families.

Then there were Heritage Walks that toured the uninitiated thorough landmarks like the Jari Mari temple where wishes are fulfilled and the Ca stella De Aguada, Bandra's Portuguese fort that serves as a watch tower over Mahim bay. Interestingly, sponsors Vodafone ensured your cell phone could make a useful tour guide narrating stories as you toured the suburb!

With a magazine that detailed Bandra's history, Celebrate Bandra 2007 had a little something for everybody. The magazine edited by Patricia Nath, entitled "Once Upon a Time" journeys through Bandra's oldest eateries, bakeries and people with pictures and prose. Some of these people were brought forth for a story-telling session. Resident Kekoo Gandhy, for one, recounted stories of Bandra during India's Emergency in 1975 and memories of long gone dance balls and parties.

A special segment brought all of Bandra's underprivileged children together in its merry-making, imparting knowledge along the way. The Warren Menezes- and Fabian Pinto-led group 'Eon M' on the other hand provided a platform for young blood to explore and showcase their talents.

Far from being a money-making venture, the festival has been ploughing back its profits into the welfare of the locality. One year, the funds were used to uplift the Bandstand and Carter Road promenades and in another year to buy a bus for school-going children.

The Times they are a-changing. But if the celebrations in Bandra were any indication, townships across India can take heed and revel in who they are and what they once used to be.