In a spirit of celebration

Feast time

The annual St Mary’s feast holds different meanings for different people. But what comes through and through among those who follow it, is their unflinching faith.

It’s also a time when the flower and candle sellers, who are stationed near the church make brisk business, the Russel Market boasts of new customers and the activity in and around Shivajinagar increases.

The autos and buses seem to overflow with scores of people heading toward the church everyday. Needless to say that the feast brings with it endless traffic jams as well.

Fr Arulappa, Rector of St Mary’s Basilica has seen a steady rise in the number of devotees every year.

He observes that men and women; children and the aged come here to pray. “People start pouring as early as four in the morning until 11 at night. There are those who come in after work, before work and some others snatch time in between work as well,” says Fr Arulappa.

Metrolife interacted with a few people who have been going to the feast for years together. It’s the spirit of the feast that draws them to the church every year.

Anita Kumar, an advertising professional says she has been going to the feast for 15 years now.

 “However busy I may be, I always make it a point to attend the mass. That ‘Faith can move mountains’ has been true in my case,” says Anitha.    

Prakash H L, a businessman says he has never missed the feast in the last 30 odd years. “We celebrate the feast just like we celebrate any other festival with our family and friends,” he says.

Gloria Kavitha, a teacher too has been a regular to all the feasts from her childhood. “It’s a festival of giving. In fact the flowers for the first flag hoisting are donated by our Muslim friends. People of all religions gather at the feast,” she says.

There will be a chariot procession on September 8 where the statue of Mary will be placed in a chariot made of fibre glass and decorated with colourful lights.