First Monthi Festh celebrated at Infant Jesus Church Pavoor-Uliya
First Monthi Festh celebrated at Infant Jesus Church Pavoor-Uliya, after being declared as Parish by the Mangaluru diocese this year
Mangaluru : The recently declared quasi-parish dedicated to Infant Jesus of Mangaluru diocese celebrated its first Monti Festh with pomp and gaiety. For decades this religious worshiping place was a chapel, but now it is rechristened as Parish and named as Infant Jesus Church, Pavoor-Uliya. It may be recalled that Pavoor Uliya a small island created history by the people there by putting up a bridge with their hard earned money. Within a couple of days, it was destroyed by miscreants for some reasons.
But on Sunday, 8 September Infant Jesus church Pavoor Uliya island celebrated Monthi Fest with joy and happiness. From August 30th onwards there was novena at 6 p.m. irrespective of children and elders every body brought flowers. The feast main celebrant was Fr Jeevan D’Mello, from Monte Mariano Church- Farangipet. He preached a very meaningful homily to the people of island. After the mass all were given sugar cane.
At present there is no bridge connection to the Church, and so devotees had to use the boat service. It is learnt that a temporary bridge will be put up towards the end of September, according to Fr Jerald Lobo -the parish priest.
Regarding this Pavoor Uliya, it is an island on the Netravathi River and located about 12 km from Mangaluru with 35 houses, a Church (Infant Jesus Church) and a former government school. It was adopted by Dakshina Kannada Zilla in May 2017 in order to improve development. During summer, a temporary wooden bridge connects the island to the river bank. In the rainy season, a passenger ferry takes Pilates to and from the island. There are no street lights, shops or medical facilities on the island.
Uliya means “leftover or remaining land”. The geography resembles a jagged oval shape. Most of the families here are Roman Catholic, except for one Hindu family. The native language is Konkani. Capuchin priests from Farangipet come here to celebrate Eucharistic Mass every Sunday. Every year during Christmas youth and children organize a cultural program.The basic sources of living are fishing and agriculture. Coconut trees and other fruit trees such as mango and jackfruit are grown on the island. Currently, the sand mining has caused huge damage to the island. There evaluation of the damage caused due to mining activities.
Even though it is learnt that on 29 July 2014, the Minister for health and family welfare, U.T. Khadar of Karnataka, had said that the Karnataka state government, acting on the longstanding demands of the people of Pavoor-Uliya, has sanctioned the construction of a hanging bridge across the Netravati River, connecting the island to the mainland, and where a sum of Rs 3 crores has already been released for this purpose- but seems like all in vain.