Centenary Celebrations of St. Lawrence Parish Belle Begin with Grand ‘Horekanike’ Procession
By Dr Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Dec 31: The small township of Moodubelle wore a festive look as hundreds of men and women in traditional dresses with band and ‘chende’ went in a procession from the quadrangle of St. Lawrence Composite PU College on Thursday, 30th December 2010 at 3 pm carrying various articles and items that would be used to prepare sumptuous meal for the ‘Maha-annasantarpane” on the Confraternity Sunday, 2nd January 2011.
Parishioners from 22 Wards and various Shri Dharmasthala Swasahaya Groups such as Poornachandra led by Saritha, Dhanalakshmi led by Bhavya, Samruddha led by Saraswati, Mahalingeshwara led by Sunanda, Amrutha led by Pramodha, Chaitanya led by Shanta, Spoorthi led by Anasuya and Deepashri led by Sumangala had gathered by 2.30 pm in the college quadrangle with various articles. The band from St. Lawrence English Medium School and Shivagiri Chende Balaga of Manipura led by its President Mohan Palan were present.
At 3 pm the grand “Horekanike” procession began with the banner right in front, followed band and priests. Elderly men with ‘dhoti’ and coats followed the priests and thereafter women in red saris carrying the articles such as varieties of vegetables, coconuts, banana leaves and other items walked in two rows. There were other groups of women in different coloured saris. It was a pleasing sight to see such a long procession winding through the Main Road of Moodubelle.
As the procession reached the portico of the church, Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the parish priest, Fr. Paul Sequeira and Fr. Lancy Saldanha formally received the “Horekanike” form the people by touching the basket which was later placed in front of the Shrine of St. Lawrence.
The neighbouring parishes also brought the “Horekanike”. Fr. Alwyn D’Cunha, parish priest of Kanajar accompanied the “horekanike” from his parish. Fr. Jerome Monteiro, the parish priest of Kuntalnagar parish came along the “Horekanike” of his parish.
The parishioners of Shirva, the original parish from which Belle parish was carved out a hundred years ago, came in large numbers accompanied by the Nasik band and ‘Gombe dancers’. They were accompanied by Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro, parish priest of Shirva, Fr. Stany Fernandes, assistant parish priest, Fr. Edwin D’Souza , coordinator of the MSW course, Mr. Norbert Machado-vice president of the parish pastoral council and Mr. Melwyn Aranha-secretary of the parish pastoral council.
With the end of the “Horekanike” procession, the articles were arranged in front of the Shrine. Fr. Alwyn D’Cunha, parish priest of Kanajar blessed the “Horekanike” items. Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro in a brief speech said Belle parish is the ‘daughter’ of Shirva and when the Belle parish celebrates the centenary, it is the duty the ‘mother’ to help the ‘daughter’ by offering whatever she could for the ‘annasantarpane’ programme on Sunday, 2nd January 2011. He wished the Belle parishioners successful centenary celebrations. Women from Shirva who had come in procession in same coloured saris sang ‘Vovyos’ associated with ‘vojem’.
Fr Joswey Fernandes thanked the parishioners of Shirva, Kanajar and Kuntalnagar as well as all the Shri Dharmasthala Swasahaya Groups, Devdas Hebbar and other non-catholic brothers such as Krishna Nayak of Mattar and Raju Kamath of Belle and also all the parishioners of Belle for bringing “Horekanike” . He invited all people from the village and neighbouring parishes for the ‘Maha-annsantarpane’ on Sunday, 2nd January 2011 and also for all programmes associated with the centenary celebration of the foundation of St. Lawrence parish Belle.