Over six lakh people from all over Mumbai and its suburbs embarked on a pilgrimage to celebrate the annual feast of St Bonaventure at the historic Portuguese church at Erangal beach, Madh Island in Malad on January 8, 2017. The church is located at a picturesque spot along the seashore. The feast of St Bonaventure is celebrated on the second Sunday in January every year. The St Bonaventure Church is in the ruins of an old Portuguese fort. Currently there are very few East Indian Catholic families residing near this church. East Indians speak Marathi, which is a blend of pure Marathi and Portuguese. The modern generation has started speaking English too. Every year thousands of pilgrims arrive to pray at the historic church during this annual event. They then make their way to the local fair where scores of people sell local produce and other goodies like specialty foods, musical instruments and music CDs.
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