Appreciating Those Who Take Our Music To Greater Heights
Inviting Quotes and Offers from Resorts and Hotels
Date : Saturday, 23rd January 2021
Time 7pm onwards
*The first-ever Exclusive Music Awards for the East Indian Community
*Suggestions for categories welcome
*Sponsors, Donors, Memorial dedications, kind sponsors welcome
*Bands who would like to perform LIVE can send their quotes
For details, sponsorships ans quotes contact Bryce on 8898178889
MGP – Innovate! Initiate! Inspire!
JARI AAYALI MAHAMARI
TARI AGERA JHAAILA BHARI
Inspite of Pandemic East Indians Celebrate Agera
Anything is possible if you try and do your very best. This year’s Agera was a true testimony of this liner. In the current situation many Community members thought that this year Agera would not be celebrated as per our traditon. Exactly a month before the actual day, the MGP Team started brainstorming on possible options to ensure the traditional festival
was observed, inspite of the pandemic. We connected with as many Gaothans to observe this tradition in their own small way keeping the pandemic restrictions in mind
Great things can happen when Revival grassroot workers initiate their little bit to make things happen. Our team got connected with all Gaothan Representatives, though our network requesting them to ensure our traditonal Agera feast was atleast observed, if not celebrated. An alternative strategy was also worked out in case local churches did not
suport blessing of the paddy. A MGP team member volunteered to transport and distribute paddy at all hubs selected by the MGP Agera Planning Team. MGP was pleased to get a positive response from many of our connects as all wanted that Agera revival momentum was not affected.
Each of our active team connects also contacted their local parish to request for blessing and a handful of them accepted our request. One Church even went to the extent of making special announcements about Agera and even MGP facilitating the harvest festival by providing paddy for blessing. A day before Agera the paddy which was transported to the city was first taken to a North Mumbai Parish in suburbs to be blessed by two priests. Surprisingly these priests had called us a few days prior to request for paddy for the parish Agera mass and our team thought it best to bless all the paddy to ensure the places where it was not blessed had nothing to worry. The Vasai diocese paddy distribution was facilitated by our MGP team member who collected the paddy from Mumbai.
Rising up to this great Harvest festival was the specially planned East Indian Marathi Mass by MGP. A choir from Kharodi came forward to support us and Fr. Marshall Lopez celebrated the Mass at the Kashimira Church. The Agera Special East Indian Mass was premiered on the actual day in the morning and has been watched by more than 4000 families. The evening special was the Agera Celebration on our YouTube channel presented by St.Francis East Indian Beats, Vile Parle. For the first time ever, MGP encouraged the use of our Gaothan Holy Crosses for distribution of paddy.
A great learning for the MGP Team this Agera. If you have a passion to revive nothing can stop you. Its hard to believe how things happened in an unexpected way and was more of a miracle. Agera was celebrated in 91 Gaothans this year, a number hard to believe in these challenging times of the pandemic. Our Agera Team did their very best to network and
ensure the traditonal harvest festival of the East Indian Community, Agera was not forgotten. Special thanks to all those who made this happen and we are sure Agera will get bigger each passing year. MGP, a group popularly known for its Revival has once again shown it’s potential to make things happen.
Gleason Barretto, Old Kurla
Get ready to meet this Lady.
A Maharashtra state topper in Paediatric Dentistry & a proud East Indian.
Ms. Senorita D’souza
on “Mobai che Hirey”
11th Oct 2020 @8pm
“Mee EastIndian”
The Official YouTube Channel of the East Indian Community
MILOON EAST INDIAN SAMAAJ SAARA
GAJVOOYA AGERA
A New Harvest! A New Prayer! A New Hope!
Around 8 Years ago Agera Celebrations were diminishing. Modernisation and lack of farming lands in most parts of the city was the cause. MGP Team took up the most challenging task of reviving Agera, something considered impossible by many. We started on a small note and gradually things picked up. Last year we painted the city, with a
majority of the East Indian Community dressed in Traditional Lugra. The Lugra fame, also remains one of MGP’s successful Revival stories.
Gaothans were the base of the entire Agera Celebrations with a majority of the processions starting from the Gaothan Holy Crosses or the fields. Over the years, people as well have Goathans participating in the Celebrations has increased considerably. Last year MGP had a target total of 100 Gaothans and succeeded in getting 106 Gaothans to participate in the Agera Celebrations. MGP was just a facilitator and the credit goes out to local parishes, associations and social workers.
Etched in memory are some Agera Celebrations which stand out with their cultural creativity along with the traditional touch. Kurla grows paddy in the Church compound while Marol has been having the traditonal procession for more than a decade. Dharavi Beth Island of Manori, Gorai and Uttan has all parishes starting the processions from the Village fields. Kurla also has a grand evening cultural Celebration with the food festival. Vakola has a Celebration near the village well and Malwani serves traditional sweet to all after the service.
Rekla, the traditonal mode of transport with horses or bullocks are now a must in the Agera procession. These Reklas are all decorated and have the priest seated during the procession. The Traditional East Indian brass band adds music and festivity to the procession. And soon after the holy mass, the bands play Celebration songs ensuring people dance to their festive tunes. After mass, tea is served with hot fugyas as peope greet each other on this Harvest festival and in some parishes even traditional sweets like Lapshi and Mugoori is served. Each family collects their sheaves of paddy to be kept at the alter or affixed on the entrance door.
Active Communities Never Let Their Traditions Fade. East Indian Community has seen a major revival since a decade, thanks to the many associations and individuals who have done their bit to take the Community to greater heights. This year, due to pandemic there won’t be any public celebrations but families can get-together for a meal on this
special day in Thanksgiving to God for blessing the family and Gaothan with a good harvest. MGP has released Guidelines this year keeping the pandemic in mind. Agera reminds us of giving Thanksgiving to God for the New Harvest. In the current scenario let’s say a New Prayer with a New Hope that things get better and this Pandemic is wiped out and
we see a New World of Peace and Good Health. Wishing you all a Happy Agera. May this harvest festival bless your homes with abundance of food and happiness
Gleason Barretto, Old Kurla
AGERA – The Harvest Festival of the East Indian Community
As per the Latin Dictionary, “Agera” is derived from the word “Ager” meaning field or farm. Agera will be celebrated on Sunday, 4th October. Request all in the community to request the Parish Priest to mention the term “Agera” during all masses
MGP Guidelines for Agera Celebrations 2020 – Due to Pandemic
*Paddy to be blessed at the Church or Chapel/Holy Cross at Gaothan
*After blessing, local Coordinators can distribute the paddy at each home or place it at a Holy Cross
*The families to affix the paddy on their entrance door or place it on the altar
*The family prepares a traditional meal keeping the harvest festival in mind
*Each East Indian family have the afternoon or evening meal together with a Thanksgiving Prayer
For more details contact 9820087771/8898178889
Mobai Gaothan Panchayat 