Gerald D'Cunha

  “Eating together is an act of mutual vulnerability and surrender.” Barbara Brown Taylor   M other Mary’s birthday is celebrated as Nativity feast by the Catholics. In Konkani, we would call it ‘Monthy Fest’. For Catholic   families, in and around Mangalore, it was a big festival, and we celebrate it on every Sept 8. The most important part of the celebration, for every household, has, always, been eating together the feast meal, known as ‘Novem’… While growing up, we had no dining tables. So, we had to sit together on the floor and a fare of half-a-dozen veggies, rice, paysam and the new grains of rice ground into coconut milk was savoured with prayers. Our grandpa (dad’s dad), always, choked while saying the prayers, remembering the family members who were away from home… and, it’s for my mom to continue with it! The banana leaf had so many items of vegetarian fare, which, as children, we never appreciated… I remember eating it half-heartedly. Our mom’s at...

Pic.: Sherry Haridas K ing Mahabali was a demon king. ( Asura ). But, jut like his grandfather, Prahlad (son of Hiranyakashyap), he was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was a just ruler, very compassionate and generous; The period of his rule was hailed as the ‘Golden Era’, when all people were treated equally, and there was no illwill among people and the society was not plagued by any social ills. Yes, all people lived in Mahabali’s kingdom happily... And, they loved him, adored him as their great, benevolent king... Now, the immense popularity of the demon king, Mahabali, made Devas (Gods) so insecure that they sought Lord Vishnu’s help. Lord Vishnu wanted to test the faith and integrity of his devotee, king Mahabali... If the massive adulation from his subjects had made the ruler arrogant... If he was, indeed, compassionate, just and generous... So, when king Mahabali was doing his yagna , Lord Vishnu came to visit the king assuming the form of a dwarf – a brah...