The East Indian thanksgiving: How 115 gaothans in Mumbai will celebrate Agera

Every first Sunday of October the gaothans of Mumbai spring to life with the vibrant celebration of Agera an East Indian harvest festival that transcends agricultural celebrations and serves as a beacon of cultural identity As urbanisation threatens to diminish the communityrsquos rich traditions that were once deeply rooted in the farming heritage of Mumbairsquos original inhabitants locals are now reviving this festival of thanksgivingOn October 6 around 115 gaothans will mark one of the most expansive observances in recent memory Advocate Mogan Rodrigues from Uttan says ldquoAgera has been celebrated in Uttan by the Kulbi East Indian community from time unknown thanking God for the new harvest There was a time when the priest would go into the fields and cut the paddy with a silver sickle In 2002 as part of our revival efforts at Uttan we initiated the first Agera bullock cart and brass band procession The cultural parade starts from the Big Cross and ends at Uttan church followed by feast mass and thanksgivingrdquoOnce the blessings are bestowed the community serves traditional dishes like fugias sorpotel and more in a buffetHistorically Agera heralded the arrival of the harvest season when farmers would gather sheaves of paddy and other crops from the lush fields and transport them in beautifully adorned bullock carts to the local parish church for blessings The festival was a time of joy with traditional EastIndian bands filling the air with music as families gathered to partake in food song and prayer However as farmlands began to vanish over the years so did this cherished tradition To safeguard this vital cultural legacy several churches around the city are dedicatedly reviving AgeraAdvocate Mogan Rodrigues and Sachin PereiraThe East Indian Villages on Dharavi island such as Gorai and Manori Dongri celebrate it with much pomp Rodrigues feels that since the East Indian community is evolving from being primarily agrarian to taking up white collar and professional jobs ldquoAgera acts as a beautiful connect with our cultural heritage and our homeland Mobai Konkani for Mumbai no matter which part of the world one is in In Uttan we even changed the time of the feast mass from 7 am to 915 am to encourage participation from the younger generation and children After mass the community dances to the bands tune while marching to the village square at Big Cross where greetings and refreshments are exchanged It promotes community spirit and brotherhood On the same evening we have cultural activities and community gettogethersrdquoIn Marolmdashwhere the bylanes are filled with parishioners in pink and green East Indian traditional attire lugramdashSachin Pereira from St John the Evangelist Church shares ldquoOur Agera procession commences at the Villagers Cross in Marol gaothan Revellers fill the streets adorned with harvestthemed decorations and marching joyfully to the church where we carry our harvest for blessings Following mass in East Indian Marathi we enjoy an evening filled with food song and dance The paddy will be sourced from nearby farms in Uttan Manori and Dharavi islands and local bands will play traditional music during the processions rekindling the festivals spiritrdquoOnce blessings are bestowed the atmosphere transforms into a jubilant celebration Families prepare traditional dishes such as fugias sorpotel and more filling the air with the delightful aromas of rich culinary heritage This act of gratitude and prayer honours the land and reinforces the communitys connection to nature and its agricultural heritage The revival of Agera is not merely a nostalgic return to the pastmdashit is a statement of cultural resilience