Taking a swing at Indian saint fair

This boy in Mumbai, India, was looking forward to getting some customers on Monday, as he waited for the annual Mahim Fair to get into full swing.

The fair, which began last week, features giant wheels, toy trains and stunt performers showing off gravity-defying feats at the ever-popular Well of Death.

All these are part of a 10-day festival celebrating the memory of Makhdoom Ali Mahimi, a 14th-century Sufi saint who is revered by both Muslims and Hindus in India.

During this period, people from all over the country come to pay their respects at the saint's shrine, reported the DNA newspaper. They offer sandal and chadar - sandalwood paste along with a sheet of flowers .

The first offering is traditionally made by a representative of the Mumbai police department.

Other activities at the festival include performances of Sufi devotional music called qawwalis, as well as games and food stalls.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 21, 2016, with the headline Taking a swing at Indian saint fair. Subscribe