Udupi: Ten days culminated with the celebration of the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary also called “Monthi Fest” at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur near here on Friday, Sep. 8, 2023. The preparation for the Mothi Fest commenced on August 30 with a very early morning nine days of novena prayers ended today with the children in their finest of dresses carrying colourful beautiful flowers in wearing beautiful dresses and happiness.
The Monthi Fest began with a large number of children and devotees gathered in front of the Grotto at 8 a.m. Very Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca began singing “Sakkad Sangatha Melyaan, Moriyak Hogalsiya ” a popular hymn and blessed the paddy corns followed by the colourful flowers offered to Infant Mary by large children while singing ‘Moriye Hogalsiyam’. Monthi Fest celebration usually starts 9 days preceding the feast day with novena prayers accompanied by age-old hymns to Mother Mary. Children take great pride and enthusiasm in offering flowers every day for those 9 days before the feast expressing love to our heavenly Mother. After the brief ceremony and blessings of paddy corn, the devotees proceeded towards the Cathedral carrying the blessed Statue of Infant Mary followed by carrying blessed paddy corn by the parish pastoral council members at the Altar of the Cathedral.
Followed by the blessing of paddy corns ceremony and offering of flowers on Nativity of Virgin Mary, Solemn High Mass concelebrated by main celebrant Very Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca, Rector and Rev Fr Joy Andrade, Asst. parish priest.
In his festive homily, Fr Valerian Mendonca highlighted the tradition and devotion for the “Monthi Saibin” for several centuries in Coastal Karnataka devotees. Fr Valerian said that Monthi Fest was celebrated in undivided Dakshin Kannada as far back as the 16th century and continues to this day. Today it is seen as a popular and important feast among the Konkani Catholics of Kanara and West Coast. Although destroy of many churches in Kanara, the Monthi Fest celebrations were reborn at Monte Mariano, Faringipet, Mangalore perhaps in 1799, as for the Nativity Feast, it is celebrated on 8 Sep. which is exactly nine months after the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8). The birth of her child(Mary) occurs from her journey from barrenness to first fruit. This could be a rationale behind why the nativity feast is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for the first harvest.
Fr Valerian said that this feast day of Mother Mary is also dedicated to the ‘Girl Child’. Girl children are a blessing as life is procreated into the world through a woman. Every girl child is destined to be a daughter, a mother, a wife, a sister. They are pillars of their families and society. It is important that we make efforts to protect the dignity of girl children considering the heartbreaking realities that have been prevailing in the society with regards to female infanticide and violence against women. Mother May the Holy Infant Mary be a good model for all of us and especially for girl children.
Following the end of the festive mass, Fr Valerian Mendonca conveyed the greetings of Monthi Fest to all parishioners. He gave gratitude to all concerned for the successful celebration of Monthi Fest. He thanked the main sponsor and pirgent late Lazarus and Margaret D’Souza of Kote Road family members and other sponsors. He thanked the children choir team for outstanding choir today.
Fr Valerian Mendonca distributed decorated candles to the main sponsor and other sponsors of the feast. He also distributed scholarships to meritorious students of the parish. Fr Valerian also distributed winners of various competitions like quizzes and other events to the children.
Cathedral website www.milagrescathedralkallianpur.com launched by the Rector Very Rev Fr Valerian Mendonca during the mass end. Asst parish priest Fr Joy Andrade and Ashwin D’Silva were present during the launch of the website.
Fr Valerian distributed new blessed paddy corn to the main sponsor, parish pastoral council members and later parish pastoral council members distributed the blessed paddy corn to the devotees present in the mass. The entire liturgy of the festive mass was animated by the children including the choir.
Most of the devotees conveyed festival wishes themselves after the mass and under the leadership of Catholic Sabha Payasa(Vorn), a sweet box was served to all the faithful who were present during the mass. Lots of sweets were distributed to the children and also distributed sugarcane to the children and elders.
Back in the homes on Monthi feast day, it is customary to peel and crush some of the blessed grains and mix it with sweetened milk or coconut milk. This is called ‘novem’, generally distributed by the eldest member of the house after saying prayers of thanksgiving for a good harvest and seeking God’s blessings on the family members for the year ahead. The feast day meal consists of an odd number of vegetarian dishes served on banana leaves. The blessed grain is also sent to family members who are away from home. This custom encourages and strengthens family bonding and togetherness. Monthi Fest has great significance to the modern-day world as it brings families together not only in Udupi, Mangalore but all corners of the world where Konkani Mangalorean Catholics have settled down. May we all strive to promote rich legacy, history, culture and traditions significantly, to keep them alive.
