Since early December, Matharpacady Village wore a festive look, coming alive at sundown with all the bylanes decorated with twinkle lights, and illuminative decorative symbols of Stars, Angels, Reindeer, Candy Sticks.
During the whole season we had groups of people going around the decorated by lanes of our charming Heritage Village.
Along with its unique ambience best experienced during Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Cross, Matharpacady Village has an active residents’ association fighting hard to adapt and accommodate into the fast changing city around, to survive the onslaught of urbanisation and salvage one of the few remnants of Old Bombay.
We want the government to see the potential for heritage tourism here. In this context, the Residents Welfare Association has submitted suggestions to the Mumbai Heritage Committee for the up gradation, protection, and maintenance of our unique Heritage Village Precinct and safeguarding this cultural gem.
May the Spirit of this season bring Joy, Hope and Love to the hearts of many – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
This year’s Christmas Party for the children upto 15 years of age was held on 29th December 2022 in our Village Square under the stars and in front of Rudolph the Reindeer. There were a total of 47 children in the different age groups who participated. There were exciting games conducted for each of the age groups and attractive prizes were awarded to the winners. The children witnessed a surprise entry by “The Joker” who mingled and danced with the children. Snacks and coldrinks were served to all in between the games.
The highlight of the evening was the arrival of “SANTA” to which all the children were eagerly waiting for. Santa took the children dancing and prancing around the village, giving them chocolates, candies and goodies.
The evening ended with Santa giving gifts to each child. The children returned happy and thrilled on receiving their gifts. The evening was full of song and dance thanks to our DJ Royalson.
A big THANK YOU to all the Volunteers for making this event a grand success.
The Thanksgiving Service will be held on Friday, 30th December 2022 in front of the Holy Cross Oratory. Kindly make it convenient to attend.
As part of the Rosary Church Parish Feast Celebrations – Cultural Day, we were part of the evening’s celebration of Unity amidst diversity on Saturday. 8th October 2022.
Over the years, our city has evolved into a cosmopolitan hub, around which life sprouts in myriad colours of varying hues and shades.
And we were there to show some of those shades and
colours of a community whose culture is steeped in historical facts, and whose
culture is a rainbow of rites, rituals and revelry.
The East Indians – Now, who exactly are the East Indians and why such a name ? After all, don’t we find them on the West and East. Perhaps, history could help resolve this confusion, this misinformation. The East Indians – history reveals – are the original Catholic Community of the regions around Bombay, Salsette and Bassein – hence their culture is basically Indian, more specifically Marathi and of course a generous sprinkling of Western traits.
History also tells us, that this Community owes its
origin, not so much as to natural growth – did it exist earlier ? No. Then how did the Community come about ?
It was due to a change of Religion – but how did this
happen ?
Well, the Portuguese landed in North Konkan in the
year 1534. Why did they come ? They came to trade in spices… but their clergy
soon realised, they were in the land of the infidels – who needed to be
converted, evangelised.
And that is when the Portuguese Christian Missionaries
converted our ancestors to the Christian faith. And so with a change of Faith,
followed a change of names and surnames.
However, earlier in these areas lived people of
diverse cultures, creeds, castes and social ranks. The Portuguese managed to
mould these different peoples into one homogenous society who were held together
by their Christian Faith – glue that bound was Christian Faith.
Besides evangelisation – the Christian Missionaries
were also concerned about the social upliftment of its new converts – and
so to ensure this they initiated the
process of education – and so beside Churches came up Schools – a feature we
observe even today. Thus, the local Catholic community received Education
because of the Portuguese missionaries.
History tells us that in the year 1661, the Portuguese
ceded Bombay to the English – the new masters were now the English.
The English soon realised that if they were to control
these areas, they must develop the areas, Bombay Harbour – roads and bridges, a
fast mode of transport – they needed a workforce who would understand their
plans – people with an educational background who could man the administrative and
clerical tables of their set up. This is when the new local Christians,
educated earlier by the Portuguese found jobs in this new English set up.
As trade and commerce between the English and India increased a multinational company by the name “The East India Company” found its way on Indian soil, playing a major role in the plans of the English masters.
Going back in time, we learn that there were
descendants of an old Christian Community in these areas. Also, Christians of
other parts of India lived in Bombay.
The newly converted local Christians were at a loss as
to identify themselves – what name should they be known by….. And hence in
order to distinguish themselves from the other Christians, they adopted the
name East Indians – this was around 1887, which coincided with the Golden
Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
This evening we would like to showcase to you a
culture that is in touch with its traditional image.
And what better traditional image can we enact than the traditions that centre around an East Indian wedding ceremony. A ceremony that gets the entire village or settlement involved – a truly community affair.
We have the Moya Ceremony followed by the Saivar ceremony or the Umbrache pani.
The Portuguese did instill a deep sense of faith and communion with the Almighty with the early converts And this faith has come down the ages, hence these ceremonies always began with prayers at the Village Cross / Chapel / Grotto.
Here the faithful will pray for the couple to be
married, for the new relationships that would arise from this union and for the
welfare of all.
Moya ceremony – Moya is also known as the shaving ceremony. It is
performed on the wedding eve before dinner. It marks the groom’s first shave
(earlier custom/ tradition). Flowers are dipped in rose water and smeared over
the face of bride. The Mama and Godparents give their respects to the
bride/groom respectively. The Mama gives the barber his ‘Dasturi’ (fee) by
giving coconut and flowers.
Soopra– Lynette holds each item in her hand while Lyra
explains the items in the Soopra – Coconut, Betel nuts, Betel Leaves, Mango leaves,
Rice, Marigold flowers.
Saivar Ceremony – The Saivar ceremony is when we go to get the
Umbaracha Paani. It is performed by unmarried girls carrying ‘brass
khalshis’, singing and dancing till they reach an ‘Ambar’ (Mango) tree. They
pluck the leaves and proceed to the Village well. Umbar is the wild fig tree
that grows on the walls of the well. The water collected is now called
‘Umbracha Paani’. In certain communities of the culture, people recite prayers
at the well for the souls. This water is
carefully stored for the ‘Purification Bath’ on the morning of the wedding.
The kalshi is decorated with Mango leaves and the mouth of the khashi is
covered with a coconut to keep the water safe of the purificatory bath on the
wedding day.
East Indian
Delicacies – The
various East Indian delicacies – Varias, Fugias, Papris and Khimad are shown
and explained to the audience. The same are also shared with the audience.
This is a book on the history of Mazagon, authored by Capt Ramesh Babu of Mazagon Dock. It brings out the lost history of this precinct, which was once the richest island in the archipelago and the most sought after destination in Bombay. Titled ‘My own Mazagon’, the book has an entire chapter on Matharpacady and many passages on Rosary Church,St. Isabel’s School and other heritage structures related to Matharpacady and celebrated personalities who lived here. The author in fact makes a plea in his book to preserve the heritage of our settlement.
As a special gesture, Capt Ramesh Babu has arranged with his publisher to offer a discount on the book to the Matharpacady community.
You may use
the opportunity and order the book from the publisher, using the link given
below, with the gift coupon code Mazagon25
Pope Francis is requesting that during this month of May the entire Church invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a special way, he is inviting all of us to pray fervently for those most closely affected by it. During each day of May, guided by a calendar with specific intentions, all the Shrines around the world, united in a communion of supplication, will lift up their prayers, which, like the fragrance of incense, will rise up to heaven. Thirty Marian Shrines will take turns leading this prayer throughout the Church and offering the faithful a series of prayer moments for them to participate throughout the entire day.
Our Prayer intention for today is :
We Pray For All Families In Matharpacady, For Protection From The Corona Virus , And For A Life Of Peace And Harmony.
Click on the link being sent to you daily, follow on
your smart-phone or Smart TV, and sing, pray and rejoice simultaneously with
your fellow residents of Matharpacady and neighbours in India and abroad. Kindly click on the “SUBSCRIBE” icon on your screen for regular updates.
Pope Francis is requesting that during this month of May the entire Church invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a special way, he is inviting all of us to pray fervently for those most closely affected by it. During each day of May, guided by a calendar with specific intentions, all the Shrines around the world, united in a communion of supplication, will lift up their prayers, which, like the fragrance of incense, will rise up to heaven. Thirty Marian Shrines will take turns leading this prayer throughout the Church and offering the faithful a series of prayer moments for them to participate throughout the entire day.
Our prayer intention for today is :
We Pray That We Are Faithful To A Life Of Prayer Now And Throughout The Year.
Click on the link being sent to you daily, follow on your smart-phone or Smart TV, and sing, pray and rejoice simultaneously with your fellow residents of Matharpacady and neighbours in India and abroad. Kindly click on the “SUBSCRIBE” icon on your screen for regular updates.
Pope Francis is requesting that during this month of May the entire Church invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a special way, he is inviting all of us to pray fervently for those most closely affected by it. During each day of May, guided by a calendar with specific intentions, all the Shrines around the world, united in a communion of supplication, will lift up their prayers, which, like the fragrance of incense, will rise up to heaven. Thirty Marian Shrines will take turns leading this prayer throughout the Church and offering the faithful a series of prayer moments for them to participate throughout the entire day.
Our prayer intention for today is :
We Pray For The Departed Residents Of Matharpacady And Vicinity
Click on the link being sent to you daily, follow on
your smart-phone or Smart TV, and sing, pray and rejoice simultaneously with
your fellow residents of Matharpacady and neighbours in India and abroad. Kindly click on the “SUBSCRIBE” icon on your screen for regular updates.
Pope Francis is requesting that during this month of May the entire Church invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a special way, he is inviting all of us to pray fervently for those most closely affected by it. During each day of May, guided by a calendar with specific intentions, all the Shrines around the world, united in a communion of supplication, will lift up their prayers, which, like the fragrance of incense, will rise up to heaven. Thirty Marian Shrines will take turns leading this prayer throughout the Church and offering the faithful a series of prayer moments for them to participate throughout the entire day.
The prayer intention for today is :
We Pray For The Sick and For All Those Affected By The Corona Virus And
Their Health Care Givers
Click on the link being sent to you daily, follow on
your smart-phone or Smart TV, and sing, pray and rejoice simultaneously with
your fellow residents of Matharpacady and neighbours in India and abroad. Kindly click on the “SUBSCRIBE” icon on your screen for regular updates.
In these Times of Pandemic
join Matharpacady Village in praying for protection:
The Holy Cross Oratory at Matharpacady was built in 1875 to testify how Faith in Jesus saved Matharpacady Village from the devastating Bubonic Plague.
The Theme for the today’s prayers is :
We Pray For Our Church…Pope Francis, Cardinals And
Bishops, Priests And Religious, That God Sustains Them During This Lockdown And
They Continue To Reach Out To The People.
We pray for the recently departed soul of Mrs. Monti
Maria Nazareth
Click on the link being sent to you daily, follow on
your smart-phone or Smart TV, and sing, pray and rejoice simultaneously with
your fellow residents of Matharpacady and neighbours in India and abroad. Kindly click on the “SUBSCRIBE” icon on your screen for regular updates.
The Cross is a symbol of the great love of God
our Father for man and
New Life through His
Holy Spirit.
Through
the
intense suffering
and death of Jesus,
sin
and hatred was destroyed
and through His resurrection Man became a New Creation. He was able to love, which could
overcome hatred. This we see even today when Christians have been
persecuted,
and killed, but love still prevails; through forgiveness and faithfulness.
What from outside is simply brutal violence; the crucifixion, from within becomes an
act
of total self giving love. Today we celebrate 140
years of prayers being offered in front of this orator y. The crosses in Mazagon and
all around Mumbai were erected to protect the residents
from the plague. Today’s plague consist s of corruption, loneliness, injustice, persecution and violence. We pray during this Eucharist that the cross help us overcome the modern plagues that affect us. May this feast remind us to keep
this catholic tradition alive in this 250
year
old village and
make us an example of our Lords love.
We entrust all this to Mary, mother of Jesus and our mother, present at the foot of the Cross.