All of us have fond memories of visiting fairs in our childhood — the nutty aroma of freshly popped popcorn, the vibrant cotton candy, and the craze of the rides. One such fête is the famous Prabhadevi fair which takes place every January and is one of the oldest in the city, dating back 300 years. 

It’s a celebration in honour of the deity at Prabhavati Devi Temple, which gives the neighbourhood its name. The tale of the temple begins in the 12th century, says historian Dr Anita Rane, who hails from the Pathare Prabhu community whose clan deity is Prabhavati Devi. She says, “The Pathare Prabhus [followers of Prabha Devi] were some of the original settlers of Mumbai. Later, many of them fled from the city to avoid persecution [from the Portuguese]. To protect their deity from destruction, they immersed the idol in a nearby well.”