Christmas in Ranwar: The History of Crosses & Its Connection to a Deadly Plague

Here's how Christmas was celebrated in the lanes of Bandra's Ranwar village this year.

Christmas decorations at the Ranwar square.

(Photo Courtesy: Aditi Suryavanshi/The Quint)

Over the years, Ranwar village, a Portuguese hamlet in Bandra, has become the hotspot for both Mumbaikars and tourists during Christmas for its eye-catching decorations. Amidst the quaint bungalows lined up along Veronica Street, crosses are a common sight. According to the residents, more than 150 crosses were erected in every second corner of the Catholic village.

But what many don't know is that Ranwar was actually an isolation zone for victims of the deadly and highly contagious bubonic plague that hit the city in 1896, according to the British Medical Journal.

While the plague continued to occur in Bombay (now Mumbai) for the next 15 years, the British government decided to set up the Bombay Improvement Trust (BIT) to create more sanitary living spaces and ease congestion in the city. The first few BIT chawls were built in Dadar and Sion.

On the other hand, nuns and priests in the churches of Bandra were working tirelessly towards treating the diseased. As per locals, the Mount Mary Church even suspended mass a few times to avoid gathering large groups in an enclosed space, fearing that the plague would spread.

Owen Pereira, a local resident, told us, "In order to ward off the plague, several people erected a cross outside their homes and at the entrance of the village. By the grace of God, nothing major happened in this village after that."

"These are blessings. Even during COVID-19, only one person passed in the village; people did get sick, but they came out of the illness very quickly," he added.

Ranwar Village is one of the 24 villages that made up Bandra and was part of Portuguese rule.

Even after the British took over in the 17th century, the village stuck to its Portuguese roots, which is still evident in its architecture.

Ranwar village is a Catholic area, mostly dominated by the Goans, East-Indians, Mangaloreans, and Anglo-Indians.

Ranwar Square, also called 'Hetwadi' because of its low-lying location, was erected in 1866. The square was the hub of community activities, which fostered a very strong bond among the residents who shared a common faith and cultural background.

At the end of every May and October, the villagers would host a special cross-feast as a celebration.

Owen Pereira, a local resident, told The Quint, "There are a couple of Muslims and a few Hindus who live here as well. But everyone's together. No one complains to the cops. There's no drama. We sit together late at night and enjoy our drinks during Christmas time. We have a lot of fun."

This is the oldest plague cross in Ranwar that was erected in 1897 in order to ward off the deadly plague that hit the city of Bombay.

This cross was rebuilt by Sandy D'Sylva in the memory of IT Fonseica's parents and grandparents in January 1955.

Pereira told us, "During monsoons, the main road outside Hill Road, St. Paul Road, and the St. Andrews Road behind will all get flooded, but nothing happens over here. It's a low-lying area that should ideally get filled with water, but honestly, it's just pure heavenly intervention, a godly intervention."

According to the locals, the Ranwar village has more than 36 crosses today, each erected at the entrance of the houses here.

The St Andrews Church is the pride of the parish—the Gaothan of Ranwar.

The locals in the village belong to St. Andrew's parish.

Located on Hill Road, only a few kilometres away from Ranwar village, the church is almost 400 years old and was reportedly built by the Portuguese Jesuits in 1575.

This oratory in Ranwar was erected in 1905. During Christmas this year, the chapel was embellished with bright decorative lights.

Several homes and buildings in Ranwar are over 100 years old and have been re-constructed over the years.

In the olden days, when there was no electricity or fans, villagers would often lay their mats to sleep in the common area.

The wells at Ranwar village were said to be the place where the villagers would hide their gold and jewellery when, in past centuries, Arab pirates occasionally attacked the coast.

The wells were also used for agricultural and domestic purposes. Now the entire village has been concretized.

Another interesting fact about Ranwar village is that a lot of hockey players have come up from this area, including field hockey player Joaquim Carvalho.

Most villagers also worked in the Railways because of its proximity to the village.

Today, Ranwar is home to a plethora of trendy and hip cafés strewn along its meandering streets.

During Christmas, the old-world charm of the Ranwar village is perfect to soak oneself up in the festive spirit.