Mangaluru:“Monti Fest” aka Feast of Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary is a major Mangalorean Catholic festival on September 8 every year. This festival celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and in the Mangalorean Catholic community involves blessing of Novem (new crops). The festival derives its name from the Monte Mariano Church at Farangipet in South Canara, and was initiated by Joachim Miranda, a Goan Catholic priest at Farangipet in 1763. Though Tippu Sultan destroyed the churches of Canara, he spared Monte Mariano Church in deference to the friendship of his father Hyder Ali with Father Miranda.
Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian Calendar.
Class VI A and B students of Mount Carmel Central School-Mary Hill together with the tiny tots of UKG had the privilege of celebrating the Nativity of Mother Mary and Onam today, 7 September 2015 at 1.45 pm in the Mother Veronica Auditorium with a prayer song by Class VI followed by welcome speech by Siddanth of Class VI A. Prior to this programme, the tiny fingers of kindergarten children filled in the designs of the beautiful flower carpet at the entrance of the school Hall with colourful flower petals. It was indeed an exciting sight to see the parents capturing the ‘Pookalam’ on their mobiles and cameras.
The programme was designed to amalgamate both the festivals through skits, dances and songs which conveyed the culture and the dignity of the girl child in the family. The school children with a warm feeling of unity in culture, tradition and festivity gave direction to the substance of the festivals. Now or never they took the stage and performed to their hearts content and kept the audience spell bound. These family festivals made us feel that we are, where our heart is and our hearts remain in our homes, for home is where the family is. That was the beauty of the programme presented by the children at the primary level.
Vedanth of Class VI B gave the significance of the day with the help of a PowerPoint presentation. Little ones of UKG presented a folk dance. Onam dance was performed by class VI, highlighting the importance of Onam, a cultural festival of Onam. As September 8th is also the International year of Girl child, the students enacted a skit highlighting the importance of Girl child. UKG children honoured Mother Mary on her Birthday by a dance and throwing of the flowers.
Two skits were put up one of which highlighted the significance of the day and the latter showed how we can respect a girl as a friend, a teacher in our homes, school and in the society at large. Students spoke on how we can and need to treat girls and boys equally, the problems and challenges faced by women and women empowerment, with the success stories of a few women. The two skits, one which highlighted the significance of the day and the latter, on how we can respect a girl as a friend, a teacher and a mother in our homes, school and in the society, touched everyone who had gathered.
Administrator of MCCS, Sr. Carissima AC gave the message of the day by saying, “Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of whom was born the Sun of Justice…. Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world…. Her image is light for the whole Christian people. Added to this theme of joy on this Marian Feast is that of light because with Mary’s birth the darkness is dispersed and there rises in the world the dawn that announces the Sun of Justice, Christ the Lord. Today, as we celebrate the birthday of Mary, let us all dedicate ourselves to her more, and seek her help ever more, and following in her footsteps let us all live righteously in the sight and presence of God. Mary is a great example to all of us, and a great source of inspiration, as well as our greater intercessor before God. Let us change our lives for the better, and commit ourselves to do what the Blessed Virgin Mary had done in her life, keeping faith and righteousness in everything we say and do.”
Nathan of Class VI proposed the vote of thanks and Virgil and Moira of Class VI compered the programme. While wishing everyone a happy feast of Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, I end this report with a traditional Monti Fest religious lyrics from the Konkani hymn-“Sakkad Sangata Meliya….” :
“Sogott Sangata Mell’ia
Ch:
Sakkad Sangata Mell’ia
Sakkad lagim soria
Amche talle ek koria
Moriec Porkunddiu’ia
Hortam durgannim sodia
Fulam ekttaim koria
Tancho eil mukutt guntia
Ani Moriec diuia
Rpt Ch
Faleam bitor bautelim
Tim xiuntim Abolim
Fulam tor khuim meutelim
Moriec favo zal’lim
Rpt Ch
Tujem kalliz tika di
“Puta hem di ” khuim di
Korta apurbai mai moji
Heam sobit fulamchi
Rpt Ch
Doriant Maie penn vetaum
Buddchea Kantant assaum
Mai! tuzo adar magtaum
Ani dhiran rautam
Rpt Ch
Tum Maie sucr sukhacho
Dadd tor uzvadd tuzo
Kallok pois daunddaumcho
Moddancho usko kaddcho
Rpt Ch
Vaddom choddom tujem nanv
Tuzo mog ud’dar zanv
Mellom mai, tujem bessanv
Bhagi-zaum amcho ganv”