Church Feast

1 February 2011

When I was thinking about my growing up years in Nayakakanda in Hendala, I was reminded that St Mary\’s Church feast at Nayakakanda falls in this month. I do not remember exactly which Sunday is the church feast, but the church feast was the most festive event of the year.

The feast would begin weeks before by hoisting a flag trees in front of the church as well as at the Nayakanda junction. Hoisting the flagstaff or the kodi gaha (flag tree) was an exciting affair. It is done on a Friday a few weeks before the feast. Flag tree is a huge and long wooden pole, sometimes the bottom of it as big as a wooden electric/telecommunication pole but as tall as about 20 to 30 meters. On top of it a cross often lit with electric bulbs. The flag tree at St Mary\’s Nayakakanda was painted in light blue and white paint. There are ropes attached to different levels of the flagstaff and colorful flags are affixed to the ropes. People would gather and use thick and strong ropes and ladders to hoist the flagstaff. One the flagstaff is erected, it is stabilized by strong ropes pulling into different directions and ropes tied to permanent structures or trees. Then ropes with flags, one end tied to the pole are tied around the flagstaff in different directions. The using lines of electric bulbs, the the tree is lit. Once the tree is erected and made stable, people would all clap and and celebrate this very physical affair. Soon as it is erected kiri bath (rice cooked in coconut milk, pressed together and cut into pieces of cakes) and banis (bread buns) are distributed free of charge by some parishioners. The young ones would compete to get kiri bath and banis as if they have been starving for days. But it was the thrill of making the whole affair chaotic. At the end there would be kiri bath every where and a big mess is left behind. What I liked about this was the whole community aspect in conducting this affair. Someone, who have conducted this affair for many years would naturally take the leadership and supervise others to hoist the flagstaff. The parish priest is their to witness the event, but he role is merely of an observer. It was the lay parishioners who managed the whole affair. It was also the lower middle class people, laborers, fishmongers, carpenters who generally lead this event, not white color parishioners. So, it was the common man\’s event to begin festivities. This kodi gaha will be there for two or so weeks during church festivities of the feast.

Decorating the church

The church too will be lit up with lines of electric bulbs.

(to be completed)

Going to Novina

…

Walan Market

…

Miniature clay pots and chinchoru bath

…

Carnival with merry-go-round

…

Colourful plastic bangles (Walalu) and accessory stalls

…

Aluwa and bibikkam

…

Achchaaru and other snacks

…

Hanging out at night with friends

…

Inviting relatives to home for a meal

…

Getting drunk and bloody fights

…