Rides, games, doodhi halwa, and a centuries-old origin story: There are many reasons you should check out the Prabhadevi fair today!
Youngsters enjoy nostalgic rides of the Prabhadevi fair. Pics/Ashish Raje
All of us have fond memories of visiting fairs in our childhood — the nutty aroma of freshly popped popcorn, the vibrant cotton candy, and the craze of the rides. One such fête is the famous Prabhadevi fair which takes place every January and is one of the oldest in the city, dating back 300 years.
It’s a celebration in honour of the deity at Prabhavati Devi Temple, which gives the neighbourhood its name. The tale of the temple begins in the 12th century, says historian Dr Anita Rane, who hails from the Pathare Prabhu community whose clan deity is Prabhavati Devi. She says, “The Pathare Prabhus [followers of Prabha Devi] were some of the original settlers of Mumbai. Later, many of them fled from the city to avoid persecution [from the Portuguese]. To protect their deity from destruction, they immersed the idol in a nearby well.”
Legend has it that Prabhavati Devi came to a community member in his dream and revealed her location to him. And so in 1715, the deity was retrieved from the well and a temple was constructed.
“Over the years, the fair has changed a lot. You no longer have the giant wheel and the crazy rides. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the guy who sells dudhi halwa at the temple courtyard. Before him his father would sell it, now he and his son do,” she shares.
Today’s the last day to catch this iconic fair. Don’t miss your chance!
Childhood memories
This iconic deity of Prabhavati Devi that was hidden in a well
I spent the first 24 years of my life residing in Prabhadevi. The Prabhadevi fair was something we looked forward to.
My first recollection of the fair was the Globe of Death, where riders went in circles on their bikes in a caged globe. The noise of those tires hitting the steel of the globe was especially disturbing to our household as the globe was in close proximity to our cottage. The Globe of Death ceased to be part of the fair, but a similar attraction arrived in the form of the Well of Death.
Murzello recalls shooting balloons as an iconic mela activity
Shooting balloons with an airgun at the stalls used to be fun; throwing a wooden ring and trying to encompass a particular item like a cake of soap or a bar of chocolate seemed so difficult to accomplish, however simple it appeared. My uncle took us to the fair once, and while he was engrossed in our progress during this pursuit, he had his pocket, which had a good portion of his monthly salary, picked. Of course, there are happier memories. The faces you got to see in the funny mirrors caused huge amusement. A dog show started gracing the Prabhadevi fair. I remember the dog rightly went over to the young woman when his master asked him to identify a bride-to-be. One time, my cousin sister coaxed me into experiencing the Giant Wheel nearby. I enjoyed it as the wheel moved skywards, but couldn’t cope with the descent. I refused to stay on and they had to stop the Giant Wheel for me to get off. No, we didn’t get a refund.
A recent trip through Old Prabhadevi Road revealed that the stalls and entertainment are not as large in number as they used to be in the 1970s and 1980s, but the air is still filled with nostalgia.
— Clayton Murzello, deputy editor, mid-day
‘I couldn’t get enough of the Malvani Khaja there’
Sanjay Manjrekar, cricketer
I remember their Malvani Khaja [a sweet and crunchy treat from the Malvan region of Konkan, made with gram flour, jaggery, and ginger], which I used to love and could never stop eating. Maybe my father’s Malvan roots had something to do with it.
I also remember watching those Globe of Death shows, where motorcyclists would ride their bikes almost 360 degrees, up and down.
There was also one show called CID Kutta, where the dog would find things that were hidden.
It [the fair] just gave a nice feeling when it suddenly appeared in the lane.
But, of course, that was when I was a kid. When I became a grumpy adult, I didn’t like that the fair [traffic] would jam my route back home. And then I would have to take the longer route. But still, nice memories!
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