On September 19, 2024, the community of Jamshedpur in solidarity with the people of the state celebrated the Karam festival. Karam is a harvest festival celebrated in the state of Jharkhand where our community is situated. Normally during this feast, people sing and dance in groups to express their joy.
On the same day, the sisters also celebrated the Monti Fest. This festival celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, held on the 8th of September every year. For the Mangalorean Catholics, the festival involves the blessing of Novem (new crops). Flowers and garlands are an integral part of this celebration.
These two significant cultural and religious events were celebrated with great enthusiasm by both the Tribal and Mangalorean sisters, the candidates and the students of St Joseph’s Community College. Both festivals are rich in traditions, bringing people together to celebrate nature, harvest, and devotion.
The festival vibes began at noon itself, with the preparation of varieties of savouries by sisters and the decorations by the candidates and the students. In the evening in an atmosphere of Prayer and joy, the community gathered in the Chapel, in a typical attire of the locality, for a Prayer service animated by the sisters sensitizing the significance of the day.
After the prayer service, the festal celebration began with cultural dances and a delicious dinner on the Plantain leaf. Everyone enjoyed the day to the maximum. It was our deepest joy to feel one with our students and also give our candidates the flavour of the cultural feel. It was indeed a colourful and a memorable day.
