Mangaluru: Members of the Christian Community celebrated “Monthi Fest” with grandeur on Tuesday, September 8 around the city.

The grand celebration of Monthi Fest was held with traditional gaiety and religious fervour at all the Churches in and around the city including Our lady of Pompei Church -Ladyhill, Church of Our Lady of Rosary – Rosario Cathedral, Milagres Church, Holy Cross Church – Kulshekar and many more.

“Monthi Fest”, also known as the Nativity of Our Lady or the birthday of the beloved Mother Mary, is a festivital celebrated by the Mangalorean Catholic community, as a harvest festival.

As a part of the festivity, the Catholic community members take freshly grown paddy stalks to their respective churches in a procession as an offering of the first bounty of nature to Mother Mary. Special prayers are offered pleading the Holy Mother to keep the fertility of the nature for generations to come and provide all the bounties of nature to the children of the world.

It is a tradition in Mangaluru, for the families to gather together and share a vegetarian meal consisting of at least of 5 vegetarian dishes. The dishes, “alu-dento” and “vorn” are a must in every household. The grains taken form blessed paddy stalk or corn is added to the milk or “vorn” and offered to the members of the family in a symbolic gesture of thanksgiving for Mother Mary’s blessings.

The celebration started 9 days in advance with novena prayers offered to mother Mary, during which, children take special pride in offering flowers everyday to the deity.

Special early processions and masses, feasts, religious ceremonies and a series of festivities in churches, parishes and at homes mark the celebrations of the day.