The catholic community celebrates the feast of st John the Baptist martyr It is a spiritual and religious event. meant to honour him and pray. The celebration has taken a different hue contrary to the belief The only and slight reference is to the baby jumping in the womb with joy when Mother Mary visited her cousin It has no religious basis This is interpreted by jumping into water bodies ,ponds ,wells .The day is also associated with drinking and putting previous lives in danger of harm and death. in the villages the custom was different ,when groups went around homes in villages with coppel of wines and Piddo. Shouting Sao Joao bhaint pola saiba Sao Joao pattoli magota. by banging pido three times. In gratitude a coconut was all that was the reward. It was some pleasure activity not designed to profit To day the celebration has taken a U turn with colourful dressings with head gears , dances. Singing and community offering participants and on lookers with home made delicacies. Commercial dances are organised. The hotels too have special display with buffet attracting tourists to watch the event in capsule. The state Govt by publicity promotes the festival as tourist attraction as commercial activity to profit What is most undesirable is the twist to the religious celebration The catholic community needs to revisit and see if this the right way to honour and revere the memory of St John Baptist the martyr As followers we must desist this Tamasha just as the church ordained the celebration of Carnival as completely out of tune with Catholic belief The hype ,revellers drinking, risking lives must be considered in proper prospective and whether it is enhancing spiritual and religious significance Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Sent from my iPhone Sent from my iPhone
