Quick answer: Mount Mary Church, officially the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, is a Roman Catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary on a hillock about 80 metres above the sea in Bandra West, Mumbai. The present neo-Gothic church was completed in 1904 on a site used for worship since 1570, and it draws people of every faith, especially during the Bandra Fair in September. Entry is free; as of October 2026 the basilica lists Masses at 6:30 and 7:30 am on weekdays and four morning Masses on Sundays.
Mount Mary Church at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Official name | Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount |
| Location | Bandra West, Mumbai 400050, on a hillock near Land’s End |
| Present building | Completed 1904 (foundation stone 11 May 1902) |
| Status | Minor basilica since 1954 |
| Weekday Masses | 6:30 am and 7:30 am (no evening Mass) |
| Sunday Masses | 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 am (no evening Mass) |
| Entry fee | None |
| Busiest time | The Bandra Fair, the week after the feast of the Nativity of Mary on 8 September |
| Nearest station | Bandra (Western line) |
Mass times are from the basilica’s official website as of October 2026. The site does not publish general opening hours for visitors, and schedules change during the Bandra Fair and at Christmas, so check before you go.
Names of the shrine
Marathi-speaking Christians call the hill Maulicha Dongar, “the Mother’s hill”. The Koli fishing community calls the statue of Mary holding the infant Jesus Mot Mauli, usually translated as “Pearl Mother” or “Mother of the Mount”. Most Mumbaikars simply say “Mount Mary”.
History of Mount Mary Church
A Jesuit oratory, 1570
According to the basilica’s own history, in 1570 Jesuit priests from Santa Ana Church in Bandra built a simple mud oratory (a small chapel for prayer) on the hill near Land’s End. They brought a wooden statue of Our Lady from Portugal and placed it on the altar. Fr Joao Diaz SJ was the priest in charge of Bandra in 1573.
Rebuilt in 1640
In 1640 the oratory was enlarged into a chapel. Crowds of devotees were growing, and there was a Portuguese garrison at the fort at Land’s End (today’s Bandra Fort).
Pirates, the Maratha war and rebuilding
In 1700 raiders from Muscat attacked the shrine, believing the statue was made of gold, and cut off its right forearm. In 1738, during the Maratha campaign against the Portuguese at Bassein (Vasai), the chapel was destroyed. An image of Our Lady from the chapel was taken for safety to St Michael’s Church in Mahim, where it was sheltered from 1739 to 1761. The chapel was rebuilt for the third time in 1761, the statue was repaired, and the Confraternity of Nossa Senhora de Monte was set up.
A popular local story says a Koli fisherman dreamt that the statue was floating in the sea and found it there the next day. It is part of the shrine’s folklore rather than recorded history.
The present church, 1904
The foundation stone of the present church, the fourth on the site, was laid on 11 May 1902, and the building was completed in 1904. The shrine became independent under its own rector in 1943. On 5 December 1954 Cardinal Valerian Gracias crowned the statue, and the same day Pope Pius XII granted the church the status of a minor basilica. Pope Paul VI visited in 1964 and Pope John Paul II in 1986.
During the Jubilee of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, a Holy Door of Mercy was opened at the basilica on 20 December 2015, the second in the Archdiocese of Bombay after Holy Name Cathedral in Colaba. (An earlier version of this article dated this to 2016; it opened in December 2015 and the jubilee ran into 2016.) The basilica was again named a jubilee church for the Holy Year 2025.
Architecture
The basilica describes its building as semi-Gothic. Key features, from the basilica’s architecture notes:
- Facade: about 67½ feet wide, in four levels: the arched main entrance, a level of five windows with the Ave Maria emblem, a level of four windows with a circle carrying the year 1904, and pyramidal spires at the top.
- Towers: two towers about 98 feet high, each topped by an octagonal steeple and a cross.
- Foundations: set into the rock of the hill and supported by strong buttresses.
- Nave ceiling: made of teak and 42 feet high, supported by teak columns with fluted shafts, Corinthian capitals and stone bases.
- Choir loft: a second choir loft on the west side.
- Roof: the wooden ceiling is covered by a roof of Mangalore tiles.
- Murals: the faded original murals have been replaced with fibreglass versions.
Praying at Mount Mary: wax offerings
A long-standing custom at Mount Mary is to offer wax figures with a prayer. Stalls outside sell wax models of body parts, houses and other objects. Someone praying for a healed leg might offer a wax leg; someone hoping for a home might offer a wax house. Candles and flowers are also offered. Christians may pray the rosary, while visitors of other faiths simply sit quietly and pray in their own way. An earlier version of this article quoted a price of about ₹25 for wax figures; prices vary, so we have removed it.
The Bandra Fair and Christmas
Bandra Fair (September)
The feast of the Nativity of Mary falls on 8 September and is followed by a week-long fair, popularly called the Bandra Fair or Bandra Feast. Very large crowds of people of all faiths climb the hill, and the slopes fill with stalls selling candles, wax offerings, sweets and souvenirs. Expect road closures, heavy crowds and changed Mass schedules; the basilica uses the steps from the road below as an exit route during the fair.
Christmas
The basilica is decorated and lit for Christmas, and its Christmas Eve services draw people from across the city. Service times change from the usual schedule, so check the basilica’s notices for that year’s timings.
How to reach Mount Mary Church
- By suburban rail: Bandra station on the Western line is the nearest. From there, take an auto-rickshaw or taxi up to the basilica.
- On foot: a flight of steps leads up the hill to the basilica from the road below.
- By road: from south Mumbai, the Bandra-Worli Sea Link is the quickest route into Bandra. Parking near the basilica is limited, especially on Sundays and during the fair.
Places to visit near Mount Mary Church
- Bandra Bandstand, the seafront promenade just below the hill, with Bandra Fort at its end.
- St Michael’s Church, Mahim, which sheltered Mount Mary’s statue in the 18th century.
- The Bandra-Worli Sea Link, visible from the Bandra shore.
- Juhu Beach, a short drive north.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Mass timings at Mount Mary Church?
As of October 2026, the basilica lists weekday Masses at 6:30 and 7:30 am and Sunday Masses at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 am, with no evening Mass. Times change during the Bandra Fair and at Christmas.
When is the Bandra Fair?
It begins around the feast of the Nativity of Mary on 8 September and lasts about a week. Check the basilica’s notices for that year’s dates.
How old is Mount Mary Church?
Worship on the site dates from a Jesuit oratory of 1570. The present building was completed in 1904.
Can non-Christians visit Mount Mary Church?
Yes. The basilica is visited by people of all faiths. Dress modestly and keep silence inside.
Why is it called a basilica?
Pope Pius XII granted it the title of minor basilica on 5 December 1954, the day its statue was crowned. The title marks a church of special importance.
Mass times, history and architecture were checked in October 2026 against the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount’s official website and published records of the shrine. Schedules change around the Bandra Fair and Christmas, so check before you visit.
