Qatar: The Nativity of the Mother Mary is a day close to the heart of all Mangaloreans, especially for the people of Mangalorean origin who are now scattered in different parts of the world. It is a day which evokes memories of days gone by, of our childhood when we would clamber to collect the best flowers from the neighbourhood to take to church for the nativity novena and eagerly await the sugarcane that was distributed after the feast mass on the 8th of September. It is a day when we would partake in a vegetarian family meal and drink the roce with the blessed grains in it.
Mangalore Cricket Club, Qatar endeavours to retain and nurture the rich traditions of our hometown and initiates various events to make its members feel at home and the celebration of the nativity feast is one such event.
This year, the traditional Monthi Fest with Novem Jevaan was held on Friday, September 11, 2015 at Al Jazeera Academy, Qatar. The celebration was attended by over 500 Mangaloreans. The chief guest for the evening was Roy Castelino, President of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy who flew in from Mangalore to join the celebrations. The guests of honor were Fr Anil D’Costa, OFM Cap, Principal of Trinity Central School, Perampalli, Udupi Fr Anand Castelino, OFM Cap Assistant parish priest and the Spiritual Director of the Konkani Speaking Community at the Lady of Rosary parish here in Qatar.
The programme began with an invocation. MCC President Norbert Corda and Vice President Prakash Noronha then escorted the guests, Roy Castelino, Fr Anil D’Costa, Fr Anand Castelino, MCC Advisory council member and MCC’s pillar of strength Jerald D’Mello to the dias. President Norbert Corda welcomed the gathering. MCC Cultural secretary Riana Pinto conducted the felicitation of 13 academic achievers of 10th & 12th standard students who have excelled in academics in the 2014-15 who were honoured by Chief Guest Roy Castelino. The Academic Achievers were: Shawn D’Souza, Christopher Pinto, Dylan D’Souza, Hazel Tellis of 12th Std, Ashton D’Souza, Rebeca D’Souza, Megan D’Souza, Melroy Crasto, Gishal Cordeiro, Tanya Lobo, Liyan D’Souza, Blacious D’Souza and Cletus D’Souza of 10th Std.
MCC has been spotting and honouring the achievers and those who have rendered yeoman’s service to the club and society. Prabha Rego introduced this year awardees William Lobo and Anson Sequeira who were honoured for their long service to the club by Jerald D’Mello presenting them a memento.
Roy Castelino was introduced to the gathering by Vice president Prakash Noronha. Norbert Corda felicitated Roy Castelino on the occasion. Acknowledging the honour, Roy Castelino, addressed the gathering and breifed on the history of Konkani, and the importance of preserving our mother tongue, how it originated and using it in our daily lives to motivate our children to speak it.
The winners of MCC’s 9th Annual Talent Competitions held in May 2015 were honoured and it was conducted by Mishal Lobo, Joint Cultural Secretary. The prizes were given away by Fr Anand Castelino, Fr Anil D’Costa and Prakash Noronha. The talent competitions included cookery contest, Poster making, Konkani Story Telling, Elocution and Pick-n-speak, Hair Styling, Singing, Fancy Dress and Dance competition.
MCC Throwball team – champions of MCC’s 13th Annual Ladies Throwball Tournament held in October 2014 and MCC Khokho team winners of ICC’s tournament held in February 2015 were felicitated.
Fr Anand and Fr Anil gave their short festive message and then Fr Anil invoked God’s blessings on ‘novem’ prepared with the new corns.
The stage was then thrown open for some fun games and short cultural programme. Master of Ceremony Prabha Rego conducted some funfilled spot games in her fluent Konkani language and did a fabulous job. Short skit and a joke written by Savious Crasta was presented by himself, Della Rego, Alphonse D’Silva and Joel Pinto entertained the audience.
Winnie Saldanha, Joint Facilitation secretary delivered the vote of thanks. The evening came to an end with a Bingo game conducted by Harry Correa.
MCC executive committee members take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who helped and contributed in different ways to make this programme a successful one.