Report & pics: Wilson Saldanha, Shirthady/Kuwait

Kuwait, Sep 14: Abbassiya Konkani families, here of St Daniel Comboni parish Abbassiya celebrated feast of Nativity on Friday September 13 at Integrated Indian School premises.

The programme started by bringing statue of mother Mary in procession to the stage along with paddy grain and dates. Children carried fresh flowers along with visiting priest Fr Valerian D'Silva, Fr Noel Almeida and Fr Antony Lopez. Hymns were sung by the choir members led by Konkani’s golden voice, Ronny D’Cunha.

Flowers were offered and showered by a record number of kids in a very traditional way. Mass in Konkani was offered during the celebration. Mangaluru’s harvest paddy grain was blessed during the mass and distributed to the gathered. Children were overwhelmed with rarely seen ‘sugarcane’ (Kobu) which gave them complete enjoyment and excitement of the feast. Norbert D'Souza welcomed the gathered.

Konkani film - Nirmillem Nirmonem trailer was screened which is scheduled to release in Kuwait on November 15 at American International School auditorium. Sponsors of the events were felicitated during the occasion with blessed candles. After grace before meal by Fr Dominic Sequeira, Monthu Furtado invited everyone to have blessed traditional vegetarian dinner in Mangalurean traditional way by offering water in a ‘Chembu’.

A row of entertainment programmes like musical tablo, dances, hymns, songs, skit, Goan Mando and more followed while the guests were served the traditional feast dinner on banana leaves appreciated by everyone for its unique taste in typical Mangalurean flavor.

Achievements of Abbassiya families were hilighted. Rony Lobo proposed the vote of thanks. The programme was well compered by Deepak Andrade, Santhosh, Rachel and Walter Santhmayor.