Mumbai: The city is gearing up to welcome the annual Mahim Mela beginning on December 16. To be held in honour of the revered Sufi saint Pir Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, also called the secular saint of Mahim, the Mela (December 16-December 25) will see thousands of people visiting Mahim during the 10 days.
This is neither the birth nor death anniversary of Pir Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, but the fair was organised for over a century in the Sufi saint’s honour.
Sohail Khandwani, managing trustee of Mahim and Haji Ali dargahs, said that the mela is gazetted in the Bombay Gazette since 1901 and is a great occasion for the city.
“People eagerly await this annual mela which is divided into two zones, spiritual and entertainment,” said Khandwani. “After meetings with police, BMC, and fire brigade officials, we have issued instructions to the devotees not to bring DJs to the shrine and to follow the traffic rules.”
At the entertainment zone, Fazil Zubair Jhoolawala, president of All Mahotsav Anand Mela Association, said the zone has been decked up with giant amusement rides like Ferris Wheels and Ranger Rides.
Zubair added that many families depend on the Mela for their annual income as they sell their merchandise, toys, clothes, and spices, to name a few, at the Mela. It is the benevolence of the Sufi saint, added Zubair, which helps so many families earn enough during the 10 days to see them through the rest of the year.
Apart from amusement rides, the Mela will also offer a variety of food, including halwa, paratha, kebabs, and korma, to food lovers.
Traditionally, this is perhaps the first Mela of its kind in the country where the first sandal or tribute to the Sufi saint is offered by the police. Officers from Mahim police, on behalf of Mumbai police, take the sandal and walk to the shrine to offer it to the saint.
“The idea is to reiterate our commitment to upholding the secular and inclusive nature of the shrine, whose doors are open to all,” explained Khandwani.
