Media Release

Bengaluru, Sep 12: Monthi Fest was celebrated with traditional zeal and zest at Christ The King Church, Malleshwaram, Bangalore on September 8 by the members of Konkani Catholic Sangh, Yeshwanthpur.

As a spiritual preparation, a nine-day Novena prayer with Holy Mass was organised from August 30 till September 7. Rosary was recited in a procession and flowers were offered and showered to Infant Mary during all the nine days by the devotees gathered.

Sermons was delivered by Fr Prem Cutinha and Fr Richard Fernandez on all those days was enlightening and prepared everyone spiritually for the feast day.

On the feast day, treasurer of the Sangh George Mascarenhas, introduced the itinerary for the celebrations which was followed by Novena and Rosary recitation in a beautiful procession. At the end of the procession, flowers were showered on Infant Mary by children and the devotees gathered. Children accompanied by elders sang gloriously 'Moriek Hogolsian', at the grotto before proceeding for the Holy mass. Holy Eucharistic celebration was celebrated by Fr Rakesh Mathias and co-celebrated by parish priest Fr Jude Santhosh Kumar, Fr Vijay Anand, Fr Dilip and Fr McEnroe. Children offered variety of fruits and fresh grown vegetables during the offertory.

The choir conducted by Manil Rego enticed a sense of heightened piety and meaning to the celebration. The 'Novem' (new paddy), which signifies the fruit of the earth and the first harvest of the season, was blessed by Fr Rakesh Mathias. The president of the Sangh, Robert Cutinha thanked one and all for their whole hearted support to celebrate the feast in such a grand fashion. 'Novem' was distributed to all the people who had participated.

Blessed ‘Novem’ mixed with coconut milk was served prior to a sumptuous vegetarian lunch including ‘Vorn’. Approximately 500 members participated in the entire celebration. After the lunch, the families were served with ‘Kobu’ (sugarcane) and the members were overjoyed and seen exchanging pleasantries of the ‘Monthi Fest’. The whole celebration reflected the Konkani Christian culture of the coastal Karnataka region and all the participants cherished it.