Muscat: Excitement galore at MCCP mega Mangalorean Day
Report: Celine D Souza
Pics: Dilip Correa
Muscat, Jan 26: Mangalorean Catholic Centre of the Parish (MCCP) - Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi organized one of the finest and most enjoyable outdoor event for the calendar year 2014, aptly titled as the “Mangalorean Day 2014” on Friday January 24 at the vast and green Wadi Kabir sports ground.
The entire day’s programme was meticulously planned and perfectly executed by the dynamic and young leader of the community, Lancy Lobo and his energetic executive team. As one of the senior members of the Mangalorean community rightly said after the event - "The Mangalorean Day of this year, as in the past years, was really great. The executive committee members have worked tirelessly to present an enjoyable and entertaining day combining traditional games, many gifts and sumptuous food for the community members. It was a family event, designed to bring every member of the family into a jolly mood and active participation. This excellent event offered an opportunity to the Mangaloreans living in Muscat to share their joy and unity in a unique way. We must congratulate Lancy Lobo and his enthusiastic MCCP EC team."
Registration counters were well managed and controlled by Dolly Gomes at 11 am and the team comprised of Shaila D’souza, Preneta Monteiro and Anitha Lobo.
Group names - well designed with colourful placards - were based on Mangalorean delicacies. They were Mandas - Red, Mutlim - Yellow, Ghariyo - Pink, Sannas - Blue, Pathole - Orange and Vorn - Green. Each team was differentiated with coloured ribbon codes.
Evergreen leader and sports personality of the community Suraj Rebello and charming lady of smiling face Dolly Gomes were the main coordinators of the entire day’s event and extended their whole hearted support to lead the members in formation of teams and to control the entire day’s event. Their relentless efforts towards MCCP every year on outdoor activities is worth noting and appreciating.
After formation of teams followed with a short prayer by spiritual secretary Clifford Castelino, members dispersed for lunch break. Lunch was served by Aryan’s to one and all gathered.
Post lunch, the inauguration ceremony was conducted with the EC team on stage. The emcee of the day, a dynamic personality and sports secretary for the current year John Mathias conducted it very proficiently. The chief guest for the day, a generous contributor to MCCP events was none other than Eula Pinto who gracefully cut the ribbon beautifully decorated with coloured balloons at both ends. A few doves took the inaugural flights, let off by EC team signifying peace, love and purity and declared the games open.
President Lancy Lobo in his welcome address rightly said, "This event is one of the biggest and most awaited by members and I urge everyone to wholeheartedly come forward and participate in the games." He also stressed that this event gives an opportunity for members not only to interact with each other but also unite the Mangalorean community members.
The CD of MAA Creations' third Konkani musical album “Hello Deva” by Arthur Pereira, Omzoor was released on the occasion. Music for this CD has been composed by Sandalwood music director Cajetan Dias. One of MCCP’s budding talents Alston Moras has lent his voice to the album. The dais was shared by its exclusive distributor in Oman, the Moras family, parents of Alston Moras Ivan and Fhilu Moras.
Alston Moras has already proven his versatility not only in dance and public speaking but also in singing. This is his third rendition, first album being 'Tharam' and the second a Tulu album 'Pani Pani Barsa'.
After the inaugural ceremony, the groups conducted a march-past ceremony displaying colourful placards and walking down the ground saluting the chief guest, president and his team who were on the stage.
The game activities progressed and were conducted by Suraj Rebello and Dolly Gomes in command.
The games conducted gave opportunity for everyone to participate in a variety of games that were funny, hilarious and amusing to all, be it kids or adults.
There were multiple outdoor games in abundance including games like bombing the poli placards for tiny tots, hop and run to the finishing race for little children, white pumpkin and banana race for couples, carrot and tomoto race for men and women, hitting the matki for group, passing water melon over heads for group, snake race for teenagers, dipping sponge and filling water bottle for group, tug of war, coconut breaking for men and women, and expressing your love with a red rose for couples
As the games got underway, some participants were seen pushing themselves a little bit further, practicing until they got it right for the thrilling pot breaking game which gave members a great sense of excitement.
Games like pumpkin and banana race with couples and pot breaking with groups were exhilarating, not to mention the ladies who equally involved themselves in games like carrot and tomato race. Running to the finish line was a terrific scene that evoked much fun and loud cheer. Members who did not participate had as much as fun just watching the others compete.
At some point of the day, cartoon characters were seen on the ground enticing children with their colourful costumes, some children coming close for a hand shake and some tiny tots running out of fear.
Every event was supported with the generosity of sponsors without whom the programme could not succeed. This event was sponsored by: Assarain Foods courtesy Priya Menezes, Nelson D’silva, IFFCO Distribution LLC courtesy Zia Rehman and Rakesh Coelho, National Detergent courtesy Ratish and Nancy Vaz, Barka Eggs courtesy Suneer, Mohamed and Monica Dantis Al Seer Logistics courtesy Vishnu Sylvan and Prakash D’souza, Ibn Sina Pharmacy courtesy Remi Lobo, Areej Vegetable Oils and Derivates courtesy Jessy Pereira, Omantel courtesy Eula Pinto, Sweets of Oman courtesy Mahavir and Nancy Vaz, Ramniklal B Kothary courtesy Shailja Kothary, Oman Foodstuffs courtesy Brinston Noronha, Lulu Hyper Market LLC courtesy Nelson Filip Reliance Freight systems courtesy Biju Emmanuel, Muscat Pharmacy courtesy Clifford Castelino, Emirates Airlines courtesy Saira D’souza, Oman Construction Materials Co. courtesy Dhruv, Intisar Corporation courtesy Kishore Mehta and Henry Rodrigues, Bank Muscat courtesy G V Ramakrishnan and Monica Dantis Quadras of Zahrat Al Rawdah Trading.
Mega sponsors for this year are Khafeef Classic Mayonnaise courtesy Ophelia Lazarus. The main sponsors are Omantel courtesy Eula Pinto and Technofit courtesy Ligoury D’mello, and co-sponsors are Muscat Pharmacy and Stores LLC, and Sky Logistics courtesy Dilip Correa.
The EC team also thanked Loveline Rego for music, Zezito for sound and light, Dilip Correa, Joachim D’souza and Gerwyn Dias for coverage, ground nurse Joyce Gonsalves, Bollywood Chat for the hot snacks, and Sunil D’souza and family for lending the premises for packing gift hampers.
As the evening progressed, a glamorous surprise awaited members from the EC team. An exciting new concept with its unique, special variation on flashlight and unparallelled scenic beauty was the 'fashion show' conducted by duo Sylvester Vaz and Irfan. Stunning, beautiful and gorgeous looking models of MCCP walked down the ramp with grace and elegance. It was all the more exciting to watch kids walk on the ramp and win the hearts of the crowd.
The show was a significant move forward in bringing about glamour even on a sports ground and children were well trained by Sylvester Vaz and Irfan. The EC team and members gathered heartily appreciated their efforts in bringing about a change and that too a successful one indeed.
The following crib competition winners were awarded with gifts:
Rony Menezes and family – first place
Walter D’souza and family – second place
Joseph Fernandes and family – third place
Vote of thanks was proposed by cultural secretary Reena D’souza thanking sponsors, volunteers and those involved in making this event successful.
The closing ceremony was aptly conducted by Suraj Rebello and all who contributed were given a token of appreciation by the president and his team.
The winners of the day were as follows:
Pathole – orange with 658 points
Mutlim – yellow with 517 points
Vorn – green with 507 points
Mandas – red with 488 points
Gariyo – pink with 458 points
Sannas – blue with 428 points.
The volunteers are a strong support to all MCCP events and were seen assisting throughout the course of the event. They were Sunil D’souza, Shanthi D’souza, Wilson Lobo, Melwyn Lobo, Nixon Lobo, Sylvan Lobo, Naveen Sequeira,Cyril Britto, Sharan Alva, Rakesh Coelho, Ashok Pinto, Roshan D’souza, Avinash D’souza.
The winners were rewarded with gift hampers bringing smiles and joy on their faces. All the members were given gift hampers and left the venue in good spirits and with a sense of satisfaction. Members were reunited with friends and memories of this day will leave a lasting impact on the minds of people.
The EC team put in great efforts to make this event a wonderful and memorable one with fun outdoor games and truly succeeded in it.