Queen of the Burbs - A heritage walk through Bandra

An island village neighbouring the erstwhile Mumbai Heptanesia, Bandra or Bandor as the Portuguese called it, was originally a collection of 25 Villages or Pakhadis inhabited by the Kolis or the fisherfolk community. In the 16th and 17th century many of these villages converted to Catholicism owing to the Portuguese rule. These converts were christened as East Indians and form the backbone of Bandra’s cultural ethos. The years following independence, the paddy fields and vegetable plantations gave way to bungalows and apartments of the rich and the famous, making Bandra the iBeverly Hills of Mumbai. Home to the biggest actors of Bollywood and despite the urbanization, there still exists another Bandra made of villages which reminds of the Bandor of yesteryears. It’s a walk in time, if you may. 

Our Bandra detour starts with the famous Mount Mary Church. Revered by people of all religions, the Mount Mary Church sees millions of faithful’s from myriad religious and cultural backgrounds. Believed to grant wishes, people queue up outside the church daily, to pray and offer wax models that signify materialistic and non-materialistic wants of the devotee.

A little ahead, and you will reach the Castelle de Aguada, an Old Portuguese fort, now in ruins. Hidden in these ruins are stories of the Maratha Valour and the victory of the great Maratha Peshwas over the British and the Portuguese.

As we walk past the oldest surviving church in Bandra – St. Andrews (The only church that survived cyclones and invasions), you will find yourself transported to Old Portuguese villages that are complete with big porches, wooden staircases, and ornate grills. As you ride past quaint homes, you will get a window-seat view into the unique customs and traditions of the East Indians (Including their fav bottle masalas) 

We will pepper the entire tour with history, legends, folklores and tales that makes Bandra a unique cultural hotspot. 

So join us as we walk through over 350 years of history and explore a gaothan like none other. We assure you, you will have a great time, men! 

What to Expect: 

- The one Handed Goddess 

- Wax to answer your prayers 

- The European Hindu Fort 

- Legend of the generous Parsee 

- The cross of the Bubonic Plague 

- One of the Oldest surviving Portuguese Church 

- A square of the yore 

- The secular street 

- And Many other legends 




Post lockdown, we’re super stoked to announce our on-ground tours with proper social distancing measures as made mandatory by the Government of Maharashtra. The safety of our patrons is our topmost priority and hence we expect you to wear a mask and carry sanitisers. We will be restricting our tours to a maximum of 15 guests and will be touring in areas which are not densely populated at the touring hours. 







* There will be a tour guide system available with the Tour Leader

* This tour will be conducted with proper social distancing 

* All participants need to wear a mask/face shield and carry sanitisers 

* If the guest has cold, flu or any symptoms, they need to notify the organisers immediately. 

* No Footprints holds the right of reservation and entry on this tour

* Tickets once booked cannot be cancelled or refunded.