Daijiworld Media Network – Doha (GA)
Doha, Sep 13: Mangalore Cricket Club (MCC), the cultural identity and prime uniting factor of Mangaloreans in oil-rich country of Qatar has a special place in the hearts of the expatriate Mangalorean community. For over two decades, MCC has catered to cultural, social and filial needs of the Mangaloreans. It has taken the onus of making every Mangalorean ‘feel at home’ in Qatar through various initiatives and programmes. It has created a legacy for itself not only in Qatar but across the Middle-Eastern countries where the Konkani-speaking Mangalorean community has been working and residing for long. One of its unique initiatives that has played a major role not only in bringing together scores of expats but also keeping them united, is the annual ‘novem jevann’ to mark the birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary, popularly known to Mangaloreans as ‘Monthi Fest’. Staying true its legacy, MCC hosted another successful ‘novem jevann’, an important date in the annual calendar of every Konkani-speaking expat in Qatar.
The annual ‘MCC Monthi Fest’ celebrations were held on Friday September 12 evening at the Al Ghazal Club here. The meticulously planned, meaningful evening drew large number of Mangaloreans to join and celebrate the nativity of the Mother Mary. This year’s celebration will be remembered for long since MCC took initiative in inviting and honouring Eric Correa, a man who has given a new definition to ‘Good Samaritan’ through his unmatched and selfless initiative to providing shelter to the needy through ‘fist-of-its-kind’ Souharda Nagar concept. MCC deserves kudos for honouring Eric who stayed away from media glare and popularity while spending every hard earned penny of his towards the betterment of the society.
The evening began with the beautiful hymn by the Konkani Children’s choir. MCC president Norbert Corda then escorted the guests, Eric Correa and Fr Anand Castelino, the popular spiritual director of Konkani Speaking Community, Qatar, to the dais, the company of MCC vice-president Prakash Noronha and MCC advisory council member and MCC’s pillar of strength Gerald D’Mello. After Norbert Corda’s cordial welcome note, MCC joint secretary Ryan Renjar conducted the felicitation of academic achievers. The Konkani-speaking students who have excelled in academics, music etc were honoured on the occasion by Gerald D’Mello.
All this while MCC has been spotting and honouring the achievers and those who have rendered yeoman’s service to the society. However, this year, MCC honoured four prominent Mangaloreans in Qatar who have rendered selfless service to MCC for long. MCC founder member David D’Souza, affectionate and popular Riana Pinto who year after year spends her time and energies in making every MCC initiative and programme meaningful and successful, Sunil D’Silva, the immediate past president who has been MCC ‘go man’ for long and Alexis Castelino, one of the directors of Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd and daijiworld 24x7, and one of the long-serving, active members of MCC whose service to MCC and all the Karnataka-based associations in Qatar is well-acclaimed.
MCC vice-president Prakash Noronha introduced these four prominent Mangaloreans to the gathering as the guest of honour Eric Correa felicitated them by draping them with shawls and presenting floral gifts.
This was followed by the honouring of Eric Correa who was introduced to the gathering by MCC immediate past president Sunil D’Silva. Eric was draped with a shawl and presented traditional ‘peta’ by MCC president Norbert Corda while vice-president Prakash Noronha presented the memento.
Acknowledging the honour, modest Eric Correa thanked MCC for recognizing him and inviting him to grace the MCC annual Monthi Fest celebrations. He narrated his encounters with poverty, his desire to give back to the society and two life-changing incidents that gave birth to the concept of Souharda Nagar.
“As long as your motives are clean and genuine and you have a sincere desire to contribute to the society, do not think much about resources. Just keep trusting in the Almighty who will show the way to the end. I did not make great, meticulous planning while building houses for the poor for the first time in 2010. I had a sincere desire and hence trusted in the bountiful grace of the Almighty. It was He who showed me the way, provided land and resources in realizing this dream. I’m an optimist who thinks right things will happen at the right hour if our intentions are right. I envisaged and began the work of Souharda Nagar II even before the Souhard Nagar I was over. Yet, God’s blessings on me and my family and also the helping hands of scores of others helped in making things possible. My dream is to provide shelter to every homeless who comes across. Souharda Nagar third phase which aims of providing home to about 150 families is taking shape and I firmly believe that it will soon be realized with generous help of all those who believe in harmonious living,” Eric Correa said.
MCC’s newsletter ‘Sugandh’, edited by Sunil D’Silva with the assistance of Editorial committee members Prabha Rego and Vivian D’Souza was released by Fr Anand Castelino. In his short address to the gathering Fr Anand hailed the unity of MCC. He then invoked God’s blessings on ‘novem’ prepared with the new corns. The ‘Roce’ prepared with the ‘novem’ was them distributed to the gathering.
Following this, the stage was thrown open for the cultural programmes. Duet songs by Clarissa and Christle, Alphone and Eva Wilma came in for huge applause from the audience. The dances by Joylene D’Mello and group and Mishal Lobo and group were the highlights of the evening. The scintillating dances left the audience spellbound asking for more. Doha’s famous comedy trio Aloysius, Merlyin and Anil took care of the humour quotient of the evening with their rib-tickling short skits. They were joined by young and talented Savious Crasta. The cultural programmes came to an end with the foot-tapping baila songs by Alphone D’Silva, Glen Carlo and Eva Wilma. Traditional prayer ‘Laudate’ was sung before the gathering partook in the traditional novem jevann. As in the past, MCC members and volunteers had prepared the sumptuous pure vegetarian food for over 600 people.
MCC sports secretary Alexis Castelino proposed the vote of thanks. The entire programme was well-compered in fluent Konkani by Rita