PANAJI
The Feast of the Holy Cross, locally known as Handi Khuris (or Khandi Khuris), will be celebrated with devotion and community spirit in Maina-Curtorim today. Fixed on this date since 1997, the annual celebration has become one of the region’s most significant religious and cultural events, drawing thousands of devotees from across Goa and beyond.
The name Handi Khuris translates to “Cross near the sluice gate,” and the feast is closely linked to the agricultural cycle. Farmers regard the cross as miraculous, and people of different faiths are expected to join the celebration, seeking blessings and fulfilment of prayers.
Masses will be held at St Rita de Cassia Church throughout the day, beginning at 6:30 am and continuing till evening. After the first mass, a traditional procession of farmers and devotees will make its way from the church to the cross, carrying candles and farming tools. At noon, the priest will bless the handi (sluice gate), offering prayers for water management and irrigation. The ritual includes the symbolic sealing of the gates with mud and wooden planks.
The celebration will also highlight its deep-rooted community traditions. Farmers and families are expected to offer thanksgiving meals, which earlier featured dishes such as pork, beef, fish, pumpkin and the sweet atol. Today, a wider variety of food is shared, much of it offered by devotees in gratitude for answered prayers. Another unique practice involves marking coconut or palm leaves with petitions or thanksgiving notes, with volunteers reciting prayers for each request.
The feast will be held in the scenic backdrop of paddy fields, with long queues of devotees expected along the bund near the Zuari River. As night falls, the festivities will continue with music, brass bands, prayers and hymns, creating a lively yet spiritual atmosphere.
The Handi Khuris feast continues to embody agricultural thanksgiving, ecological awareness, and spiritual devotion, reflecting Goa’s tradition of communal harmony.
