St. Sebastian Church, Bendur Celebrates ‘Pavsa Gammat 2026’ with Traditional Food and Cultural Fest
Mangaluru: St. Sebastian Church, Bendur, celebrated “Pavsa Gammat 2026,” a vibrant traditional food and cultural festival, on July 26 at the Platinum Jubilee Hall, bringing together parishioners to celebrate the region’s rich cultural heritage.
The programme commenced with a colourful procession led by the St. Sebastian Church Children’s Brass Band, followed by farmers, Gurkars, parish representatives, and the clergy. Parish Pastoral Council Vice President Deepak D’Souza extended the traditional welcome, while members of the Women’s Commission presented a prayer dance. Rev. Fr. Joel Monteiro, Assistant Parish Priest, offered a special prayer seeking God’s blessings for timely rains and a bountiful harvest.
A special highlight of the evening was the celebration of Grandparents’ and Elders’ Day, during which senior citizens were honoured with roses and invited to cut a celebratory cake in recognition of their invaluable contribution to the parish community.
The festival was inaugurated in a unique traditional manner by Very Rev. Fr. Walter D’Souza, Parish Priest, who symbolically cut a banana bunch from a banana plant. In his inaugural message, he encouraged families to preserve the tradition of preparing healthy, homemade food and to pass these culinary traditions on to the younger generation.
Following the inauguration, the Parish Priest blessed and formally opened the food stalls, where various parish wards served an array of traditional delicacies, including Patholi, Pathrode, Manni, Kube Mutli, Pork Indad, Mutton Boti, Chicken Kebab, Moog Ani Kirl, and Payasa. A lively auction of banana bunches, jackfruit, homemade wine, and other farm produce, conducted by Loy Rego, attracted enthusiastic participation from parishioners.
The cultural programme featured a special song performed by the priests, composed by the Parish Priest, along with energetic dance performances by the Catholic Action League (CAL), Young Christian Students (YCS), and senior citizens. The evening also included competitions such as Traditional Dress, Group Singing, and the zone-wise Baila Song and Dance Competition. Winners of the various contests were felicitated with prizes.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Royston Farias, Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council. The event was compered by Nihal Rego and Anna Patrao, whose lively presentation kept the audience engaged throughout the evening.
The celebration successfully promoted traditional cuisine, cultural heritage, and community bonding while inspiring the younger generation to value and preserve their rich traditions.