Daijiworld Magazine, Vol.12, Issue 4, September 2020

DAIJIWORLD Magazine | September 2020 13
he was attracted by a special
statue of Mother Mary called
‘Maria Bambina’ and he started
the tradition of Monti festh
celebration. It was during this
period the practice of offering
flowers to Mother Mary, consuming
newly produced agricultural
food was started.
Monti festh is the only festival
celebrated as per Indian
traditions, wherein only pure
vegetarian food on plantain
leaves is consumed. (However,
in Coastal districts, people also
consume fish as part of feast
as they argue that fish is their
staple food.) Prior to the food
all the members in the family
drink the new corn mixed in
coconut milk or juice made out
of jaggery.
Although in this modern
age, due to the migration of
family members to different
parts of the world, this tradition
has lost its original splendour,
nonetheless the feast
is celebrated year after year
on September 8 by the Catholic
Konkani speaking people
in the districts of Dakshina
Kannada, Udupi, Kundapur
and Kasargod. The fest is aptly
called ‘Family Fest’ or Kutmachem
Fest in Konkani.
In Mumbai, Maharashtra
at the Mount Rosary Church
in Bandra a one-week Novena
is held that culminates on the
last day called ‘Bandra Feast’
which is very famous since
many years.
- By Bernard J D’Costa
bina Mary” wrapped in layers of
lace and laid down on a dainty
pillow.A juicy sugarcane was a
reward given to each child at the
end of the ceremony.
The walk from the church
back home laughing and chatting
with neighbors and friends eagerly
awaiting the grand family get
together lunch would be the climax
of the entire day. Our grandparents
would crush the ‘Novem’
with milk and after a short prayer
at the altar,each member would
be given a spoonful of the drink
as a sign of blessing and prosperity
from the first harvest. Meanwhile
our uncles would pack off
a few ears of corn to be posted to
relatives overseas so that they too
could take part in the feast.
The aroma of freshly cut banana
leaves and of aspread of odd
number of vegetarian dishes permeated
the entire house. The odd
number denoted each flavoursweet,
sour, salty, bitter, pungent
and astringent cooked from fresh
home-grown harvested vegetables.
They consisted of moong,
aloo-dento, karathem, chonne,
ambade, patrade and taushem - to
name a few. The vegetables and
rice and the soft sanna’s were
gorged and lapped up with a huge
serving of vorn or roce made from
coconut milk and jaggery leaving
our hearts and stomachs content
and delighted.
The times have changed and
given rise to new challenges and
changes in lifestyles. Nowadays
the entire family may not be able
to meet and celebrate this festival,
the food may not be cooked with
the same authenticity, and the
plucking of wild flowers has been
replaced with buying expensive
and exotic ones from the market.
The huge garment brands with
the most modern outfits have outsmarted
the humble tailors.Yet
we need to realize that we must
preserve and carry forward the
devotion towards the Mother of
God and the immense respect and
love for our Parish, the oneness
within families and neighborhood.
This need to carry forward
the culture and tradition through
generationswas the main reason
why our elders took active part in
walking us up to each novena and
made elaborate preparations on a
daily basis for the big day.
Today, we are enamored by
the western culture and gradually,
from generation to generation
we havepartially given up or overlooked
the traditions and customs
that were preserved so fervently
by our ancestors. With time our
beliefs have taken a diverse view,
but have these new ways benefitted
our families to get together?
Is it not our obligation to become
aware of this and make amends
before it is too late?
True to its words “Sokkad Sangata
Melyan, Sokkad Laagin soryan,”
a hymn that guided us to remember
our traditions is still alive
at back of our minds. I hope the
tune of this hymn and true family
values which are hidden in our
hearts would come out as we get
together these days in the wake of
the deadly ‘Corona’ virus. I believe
this pandemic will turn out to be a
turning point in our efforts to get
united as a family in the longer
run. u