Hill Road: Where the whole Mumbai and Bollywood shops for Christmas

Standing at one end of the street, scanning the entire pathway, all you can see is the Bandra Hill Road adorned with hues of reds, whites, and greens. Amid all the bustling of the street, you will hear a woman asking, "Do you have bauble?". And this will be the umpteenth number of time you will hear the same thing. That is your cue that not just Bandra, but the whole of Mumbai is gearing up for Christmas. From cakes to decorations to clothes, it has been the most preferred destination for the Christian community for shopping. 
 
"Bandra is the go-to place for shopping for Christians in Mumbai and surrounding areas, especially during Christmas. People buy clothes, decorations, and plum cakes from Bandra like it’s almost a tradition. Of course, it is comparatively affordable. Men buy suits from shops like Checkup, one of the famous shops on Bandra Hill Road. Women choose trending and yet traditional fashion, so that is mostly custom-made. The fabrics are chosen from Mangaldas Market and Musafirkhana, a fabric Galli behind the Manish market. Mostly, the tailors in Elco market, Bandra stitch dresses for them. My mother has been going since her college days. St Paul is another place in Bandra and is a one-stop for all the Catholic-related religious items such as frames of Jesus," Leons Thomas Joseph, a Bombay High Court lawyer and a social media influencer.

“I have been running this business since 1980. Women mostly prefer midis and frocks for Christmas Eve. I don’t have a count how many dresses I have stitched over the years. Earlier, bookings used to start from August till December. Today, the number has reduced, but women still come for tailor-made dresses," said Muhammed Sharif, an owner of Mariyam Tailor at Bandra Hill Road. 
 
Bandra has always been a hit for Christmas shopping. One version dictates that the Christian fishing village evolved into a thriving business hub over the years, attracting Christians from all over Mumbai and beyond. The local community set up their shops and sold items brought by people on ships from abroad. According to Joseph, Bandra and the local community started providing rare Christmasy stuff in India. Besides, Mount St Mary Church also makes Bandra a major attraction for Christians. Also, people from western suburbs could easily travel to Bandra for shopping than go to markets in Colaba or South Mumbai. 
 
“We have been doing business in Bandra for 26 years. Our focus was obviously the local Christian community. We started catering to their needs and bringing them exclusive Christmas decoration that is nowhere to be found. This has always worked and people continue to flock to our shop,” said Prabhu Pasan, owner of Ravee’s Christmas Mart. Ravee is exclusively open for Christmas only. This year it started on September 17 and will stay open till December 25. Bollywood celebrities like Ranveer Kapoor, and Kiara Advani come to Ravee for their Christmas decoration. 
 
But Hill Road is not just for celebs. It has something for everyone. People preferring exclusive stuff and others looking for affordable yet trendy choices can come here. For me it is about the vibe of this place and the variety of things this place provides,” said Rosita Kuttikkat, a resident of Ghatkopar. 
 
The Christmas preparation starts a month before Christmas, also known as the 'season of advent'. The season comprises four Sundays when the preparation commences. Each Sunday stands for hope, love, peace, and joy. Lawrence Massey, a sculpture artist said, "We start our preparation by buying stuff, decorating the house, making cribs and more." 

Christmas festivities in Bandra are not only for Christians. It also attracts people from across communities- be it Punjabi or Gujarati. “Christmas has become more like Diwali, everyone celebrates,” says Massey. “I saw a Gujarati family purchasing a Christmas tree, I was amazed. People use Lord Ganesh and modak miniatures, flowers, and more to customise their Christmas trees,” he adds.