Up the hill, into the quiet.
Mount Mary is one of the calmest ways to spend an hour near the airport. The basilica stands on a hill above Bandra, and the climb itself slows you down. Take in the twin towers and the stone arch from the forecourt, then find a quiet spot to look out towards the sea. It is a working shrine visited by people of many faiths, so move gently and let the place set the pace.
Behind the basilica.
History · A statue and a hill
The shrine grew from a 16th-century chapel; today’s church is from 1904.
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The story of the shrine goes back to the 16th century, when Jesuit priests from Portugal brought a statue of Our Lady to the hill and built a chapel. That church was destroyed in 1738, and the present basilica was rebuilt in 1904.
Continue reading at Wikipedia ↗Architecture · Towers above Bandra
A semi-Gothic church whose front towers rise high over the suburb.
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The church is built in a semi-Gothic style, with two front towers rising to about 98 feet. It stands on a hillock roughly 80 metres above sea level, looking out over the Arabian Sea.
Continue reading at Incredible India ↗Significance · The Bandra Fair
Each September a feast and a week-long fair fill the hill.
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The Nativity of Mary is celebrated here on 8 September, followed by a week-long fair known as the Bandra Fair. The shrine draws devotees from all faiths who come to pray and seek blessings.
Continue reading at Incredible India ↗On sacred ground.
This is an active place of worship: dress modestly, follow the customs posted at the entrance, and keep your voice low during services. Photography may be restricted inside, so keep the camera for the exterior and never photograph people at prayer. Around the feast in September the hill gets very crowded and the roads slow down, so check current hours and access before you go.
A pause nearby
Bandstand’s stone promenade is a short walk down the hill, with benches and a long view of the sea. Keep it to one extra stop if your return plan is tight.
Bandra · Fort & promenade
Bandra & Worli · Sea views
Bandra & Khar · Sea walk