Parishioners of Kurla church celebrate annual feast

On Sunday, the Holy Cross Church in Kurla celebrated its 439th year. The feast saw participation of 5000 people, and the celebrations were being held the way they were when Kurla was still a village, and the locals were engaged in farming. The feast also saw the mass conducted in East Indian dialect. This was followed by a book launch on the same subject.

Feast covered four villages of Kurla, where in olden days people moved around in Reklas - horse carriages sporting traditional dresses. The four villages- Kulbavor, Hull, Old Kurla and Navpada formed the parish.

For the last six years, the parishioners have been celebrating the feast in a traditional way, bringing back fond memories of simpler times. The feast is held on the first Sunday of May every year. This was been largely because people are on vacation this time around.

The mass was conducted in East Indian Marathi dialect and book written by Rev Fr Milton Gonsalves was released. "There was a special prayer service too. People had come dressed in traditional attire 'Lugra'," said Barretto.

During the feast women prepare traditional delicacies. "O the last day, the the delicacies are sold at very nominal rate. Dishes that generally cost around Rs 200 is given at just Rs 50. Mostly Roman Catholics take part in the festivities," said Barretto.