Navelim Feast, a single family of humanity
When November begins, there is a buzz of excitement in the village of Navelim. The third Wednesday ushers in the feast of Our Lady of Rosary and this feast holds a unique place in Goa as it has been celebrated for over 400 years. A highlight is that of its procession from the Chapel of Our Lady of Carmel (Telaulim) upto the Church in the wee hours of the morning on the first day of the novena. The entire path is illuminated and truly a sight to behold! I remember my grandfather would make it a point to be part of this procession every year, as would many other villagers. As the feast nears, the fair which enjoys the reputation of being the largest one in Salcete, starts to come up in the vicinity of the church. The fair has its origins as a place where buffaloes were sold, hence called the ‘boilanchi feri’. Legend has it that the place where the fair used to be set up was haunted, thus the fair would last just for one day. By nightfall, all would disperse fearing the ‘Ghosts’. This has, of course, been understood as a myth and today, the fair lasts upto a week.
Apart from all these, there is another important aspect that this feast brings out. It is the devotion of the people of Navelim and surrounding areas. The feast attracts people across different faiths who gather at the feet of Our Lady and pour out their petitions to her.
” Dion Rodrigues
More than just a feast for ‘Nayelkars’
Just as I would wait for my birthday, I would await the feast day of Our Lady of Rosary as a kid. The joy would begin since the first day of the novena, the spiritual preparation, and the excitement would be at its peak as this feast is indeed a very special feast to all the ‘Nayelkars’. For me, this feast means more of a family reunion wherein relatives from afar join in the celebration, having the family meal together, the kids collecting the monetary blessings the elders give. Just recalling the old days gives me immense joy. The morning ‘alvorad’ would set us into a festive mood and the Eucharistic celebration would be the beginning of this festive occasion. In the evening, the boys of our locality would get together and march towards the fair, in the vicinity of the Church. The late night ‘tiatr’ was also very popular. ‘Nayele fest’ for the ‘Nayelkars’ is not just a feast, it’s an emotion that each ‘Nayelkar’ feels in his/her heart irrespective of the religion.
” Aidan Manuel Fernandes
Feast promotes spiritual enrichment
Being born and brought up in Navelim for several years, one of the most exciting things in this village is the feast which is so beloved to the people of that soil and also people from other parts of the state, specially those living in Telaulim. Preparations for this feast begin with a great procession from the village of Telaulim, where the statue is carried and kept in Navelim. There are various interpretations as to why this procession continues till date and how it all started. Whatever the reasons, it all started as a need of the hour. Those days and those events no longer exist. The church, therefore, tries to deal with various ways in which we can be enriched spiritually rather than worldly. To look and take care of the internal more than the external. Therefore, when we attend the novenas or feast, we should have a disposition to nourish our spirit rather than being engrossed in external things. Especially by inculcating and learning the values that were lived by our mother, whose feast we celebrate in great splendour and joy.
” Lindon Sequeira
Navelim feast, a big family reunion
As November begins, a peculiar gladness fills my core. From my childhood days, the feast of Our Lady of Rosary, patroness of our Navelim church, has brought happiness to me. It is like the initiation of a big festive season beginning with the feast and followed by Christmas and culminating with the New Year. Not just the feast day, but also the nine-day novena for the feast occupies a special place in my heart. The whole church is decorated, the brass band brings out the festive mood after the evening mass. There is a different kind of vigour that can be seen in and around the church but most of all what catches my attention is the devotion to Our Lady. People from different parts of Goa flock with devotion to our heavenly mother. Today, along with all the other things, what stands out for me is that all relatives, friends and family come together and it is like a big family reunion.
” Malcolm Colaco
