This story is from August 18, 2016

Carmona villagers have a colourful ‘Ekvottacho Dis’

The Catholic community of the state, on Monday, celebrated the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with various parishes marking the auspicious day with various community activities in addition to religious traditions.
Carmona villagers have a colourful ‘Ekvottacho Dis’
COLVA: The Catholic community of the state, on Monday, celebrated the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with various parishes marking the auspicious day with various community activities in addition to religious traditions.
The village of Carmona in Salcete has been celebrating the day as ‘Ekvottacho Dis’ (Day of Unity), a day to forge unity amongst the villagers irrespective of religious beliefs.
Initiated by Fr Agnelo Rodrigues, parishioners have kept the tradition going for the fourth consecutive year.
As part of the celebration, three masses were offered beginning at 6.30am.
The morning activities included a volleyball tournament, besides several other games. Seven teams from the village, each dressed in one colour of the rainbow, played against one other. There was also a prayer dance.
Post lunch, parishioners congregated at the church square dressed in their designated colours. A march past was held and parish priest Fr Saude Pereira released balloons, throwing the evening festivity open.
This part of the celebrations were marked with singing. The villagers, who were divided in seven groups, sang ‘mandos’, ‘dulpods’, folk, kharvi and Hindu songs. A brass band was also in attendance.
Prominent tiatr personality and a villager of
Carmona Osvy Viegas, who composed two originals ‘mandos’ and one ‘dulpod’ for two village groups, said that such functions should be organized in all parishes as it would unite Goa. He said he was talking from his four years of experiencing the celebration of ‘Ekvottacho Dis’.
Parish pastoral council vice moderator, Joaquim Fernandes, said parishioners have kept the tradition going for three years, since the time when it was started. Seven stalls selling traditional Goan sweets like patolleo, pinagre, doce, pudde, atol, etc were put up. All sweets were prepared by the women of the village.
“Parishioners participate enthusiastically in celebrating ‘Ekvottacho Dis’. They create special outfits in the colours designated to them and prepare traditional sweets,” he added urging people to go back to the times when people would join in recreational activities, visiting neighbours and sharing goodies with each other.
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