Mumbai: A significant cultural and religious revival of Mumbai’s indigenous East Indian community was overshadowed by controversy on Sunday, as concerns emerged over a proposed infrastructure project that could affect the historic steps leading to the revered Our Lady of Hope Church at Ghormal in Thane.

Annual Feast Celebration

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Devotees gathered in large numbers at the hilltop shrine in Nagla Bunder along Ghodbunder Road to celebrate Ghormal Cha Sann, the annual feast of Our Lady of Hope. The event forms part of the wider “MemorEis” initiative aimed at reviving the traditions and history of the region’s original inhabitants.

Believed to date back to the period following the Portuguese–Maratha War in 1683–84, the church was once left in ruins. It was restored in 1995 under the guidance of the late Rev. Dominic Pereira, with support from parishioners of St John the Baptist Church. The steps were built to enable senior citizens to climb the hillock, said Royston Jacinto, Kurla Taluk Sarpanch of the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), a association representing East Indians.

Traditional Offerings and Processions

Jyotsna Fernandes, Thane village coordinator for MGP, said that devotees from Bhayandar and other places arrived in bullock carts and horse-drawn carriages. “Boats from Vasai and Uttan sailed down the creek and fresh fish was placed as offerings,” said Fernandes.

However, during the feast Mass, parishioners were taken aback by an announcement by Father Gerome Lobo, trustee of Our Lady of Hope Church, that a proposed road project between Bhiwandi and Gaimukh could lead to the demolition of nearly 100 of the 220 steps leading to the church.

Devotees emphasised that these steps are not merely functional but constitute a sacred pilgrimage route with deep spiritual and cultural significance. For generations, worshippers from Kashimira, Bhayandar and Vasai have climbed them, particularly on the Sunday following Easter.

Melwyn Fernandes, devotee and secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians, urged authorities to ensure that the sanctity, heritage and accessibility of the church are protected. “These steps are part of the faith and tradition of countless devotees. I urge the Government authorities to give clear assurances that the sanctity, heritage, and access to the Church will be protected, and that due process will be followed. If at all the project is to proceed, it must be ensured that no harm is caused and a suitable alternative is provided without affecting the sentiments of the faithful,” said Fernandes.

Advocate Sunita Banis also called for immediate assurances that the site’s religious heritage would be safeguarded in accordance with the law. “I call upon the concerned authorities to provide immediate assurances that the religious heritage and traditional access to the Church will be safeguarded, and that all actions will be taken strictly in accordance with law and due process,” said Banis.

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