“Assumption Village”
Mylene D'Souza and Sharon D'Souza
Assumption Village along with Kandivli Village and Bunderpakhadi is one of the oldest Catholic inhabited areas of our Parish. Initially,it was a small Gaothan (hamlet) of Catholics who had their own fields and lands, geographically situated near the river end of the Shivaji Road touching Mathuradas Extn Road. Nearly all the families were East Indian by culture and were inter related. They were closely knit and used to have get- togethers on all festive occasion like Christmas, Easter, the Cross Feast and when the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was circulated,a common celebration was held.
During the Novena of our Parish Feast (Assumpti Mauli cha San) in the rainy season, all the villagers would get together and make a temporary road by putting bricks and stones to walk over the slushy muddy roads to attend Mass. At that time Fr. E. Monterio was the Parish Priest.
One of the most prominent of our villagers was the late Ambrose D'Souza who composed and directed East Indian songs and plays.He encouraged the villagers and their relatives by training them to sing and take part in various competitions held at various places around Mumbai.A Club named 'Moonbeam Dramatic Club' was formed and it won many medals and cups. In the mid 1980s a radio broadcast of songs was aired in memory of him. A TV Show was presented in 1990 on Doordarshan.
Many of the villagers and the then parish priest Fr. Edward D'Souza, suggested that we name our village and also have a Cross erected at the entrance. We approached the local corporator, and with constant follow-ups our Village was named 'Assumption Village', with a signboard put up by Vernal D'Souza. A Cross was erected at the entrance with the initiative of Roydin Fernandes which was partly sponsored by some of our non-Catholic neighbours.
Mylene D'Souza and Sharon D'Souza
Assumption Village along with Kandivli Village and Bunderpakhadi is one of the oldest Catholic inhabited areas of our Parish. Initially,it was a small Gaothan (hamlet) of Catholics who had their own fields and lands, geographically situated near the river end of the Shivaji Road touching Mathuradas Extn Road. Nearly all the families were East Indian by culture and were inter related. They were closely knit and used to have get- togethers on all festive occasion like Christmas, Easter, the Cross Feast and when the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was circulated,a common celebration was held.
During the Novena of our Parish Feast (Assumpti Mauli cha San) in the rainy season, all the villagers would get together and make a temporary road by putting bricks and stones to walk over the slushy muddy roads to attend Mass. At that time Fr. E. Monterio was the Parish Priest.
One of the most prominent of our villagers was the late Ambrose D'Souza who composed and directed East Indian songs and plays.He encouraged the villagers and their relatives by training them to sing and take part in various competitions held at various places around Mumbai.A Club named 'Moonbeam Dramatic Club' was formed and it won many medals and cups. In the mid 1980s a radio broadcast of songs was aired in memory of him. A TV Show was presented in 1990 on Doordarshan.
Many of the villagers and the then parish priest Fr. Edward D'Souza, suggested that we name our village and also have a Cross erected at the entrance. We approached the local corporator, and with constant follow-ups our Village was named 'Assumption Village', with a signboard put up by Vernal D'Souza. A Cross was erected at the entrance with the initiative of Roydin Fernandes which was partly sponsored by some of our non-Catholic neighbours.
