Media Release
Nottingham, Apr 22: The Mangalorean United Konkani Association (MUKA) marked a historic milestone on Easter Sunday, April 5, celebrating its 20th anniversary with a grand 'Konkan Fiesta.' The event drew a record crowd of approximately 800 people from across the United Kingdom, making it one of the largest gatherings of the Konkani community in recent years. The celebration beautifully showcased cultural heritage, community unity, and vibrant entertainment.
The day began with a solemn Holy Mass celebrated by Fr Jason Pais, who travelled from Germany for the occasion. The liturgy was enriched by a soulful choir organised by Deepak Alvares, setting a spiritual and reflective tone for the celebrations.
The formal programme was elegantly hosted by Emcee Christina D’Souza. One of the most powerful opening performances was a cinematic dance presentation depicting the life of Jesus Christ from his birth and ministry to his passion and glorious resurrection. The moving performance was delivered by a 21-member youth troupe, conceptualised and choreographed by Jenifer Fernandes and Christina D’Souza.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, the Preston Brass Band led the processions with lively music, bringing a traditional Mangalorean Konkani flavour to the celebration.
MUKA secretary Dorothy D’Souza, shared the association’s inspiring 20-year journey of community service and cultural preservation. In recognition of their dedication, Fr Jason Pais presented commemorative mementoes to MUKA’s past presidents: Vincent D’Souza, John Fernandes, Deepak Alvares, Sunil D’Cunha, Jeevan Menezes, Stany Sequeira, Pius Rasquinha, and Anson Dias, along with the current president Godfrey Sequeira.
The association also expressed heartfelt gratitude to its key sponsors. Special felicitation was given to mega sponsor Brian Mathiasand, platinum sponsors Prakash Mendonca, Abhilash Babu and Aloysius Lobo for their generous support.
Voice of Konkan, global singing competition as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, MUKA organised a global online Konkani singing competition titled 'Voice of Konkan.'
The winners were proudly announced and honoured during the event:
• Queen voice of Konkan: Karen Crasta (Mangalore, India)
• King voice of Konkan: Melroy Furtado (Australia)
Both winners travelled to the UK to participate in the celebrations and were welcomed with a grand stage entry led by the Preston Brass Band procession.
Karen Crasta was crowned queen voice of Konkan by president Godfrey Sequeira, while Melroy Furtado was crowned king voice of Konkan by vice president Anitha Sequeira. Each winner received a prestigious trophy and a cash prize of Rs 50,000, presented by the MUKA committee.
The audience was enthralled as Karen and Melroy performed live with Band RhythmMates Mangalore, delivering melodious renditions of popular Konkani songs.
The competition’s success was guided by distinguished judges Ralph Roshen, Sanjay John Rodrigues, and Raina Sequeira, whose dedication, musical expertise, and fair evaluation helped inspire contestants and uphold the spirit of konkani music.
A culinary and musical extravaganza.
Guests were treated to an authentic mangalorean feast, lovingly prepared by MUKA members.
Following lunch, excitement filled the venue as the most anticipated highlight of the evening unfolded the 'Konkan Fiesta.' People travelled from across the UK — North, South, East, and West to witness this spectacular celebration.
Under the vibrant production of Fishing Cactus, renowned entertainer Hera Pinto brought the very first Konkan fiesta to MUKA Nottingham, joined by the electrifying Band RhythmMates Mangalore.
The band soon had the entire hall on its feet as they delivered an energetic musical journey blending Hollywood, Bollywood, classic Konkani hits, and traditional Baila music. The audience sang, danced, and celebrated together, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.
A community celebration to remember
The success of the event was made possible by the dedicated efforts of many contributors. Wilson Coelho and the Coelho Clicks team provided professional photography and videography coverage.
The venue atmosphere was further energised by DJ Miln, while Ashwin Xavier Pinto expertly managed the sound engineering. LED visuals and creative designs were crafted by Arvin D’Souza - Arvin Creations.
The evening concluded with a lively Baila dance session by DJ Miln and the announcement of the raffle draw winners. Vice president Anita Sequeira delivered the vote of thanks, bringing the memorable celebration to a close.
Reflecting on the milestone, president Godfrey Sequeira said:
"This 20th anniversary wasn't just a celebration of time, but of the bonds we've built. Bringing world-class talent like Hera Pinto and RhythmMates to our community here in the UK is a testament to how far MUKA has come."
The MUKA 20th anniversary Konkan fiesta will undoubtedly remain a cherished memory for the Konkani community in the United Kingdom a celebration of faith, culture, music, and unity spanning two decades of community spirit.