East Indians UAE (Mobaikar)

AGERA CHA SAN 

Agera is derived from two Latin words "AGER" meaning field and cultura meaning cultivation. Traditionally, when their paddy fields yielded corn, the agricultural community of the Mobaikar East Indians celebrated the harvest festival to thank God for the food He had given them.

* Parish families, dressed in their best clothes, gathered in the fields, which the parish priest blessed by sprinkling holy water. Stalks of golden paddy, ready for harvesting, were cut and carried in a decorated palanquin in a procession to the church,
accompanied by local tribal musicians.

* After Holy Mass at the church, the priest would bless the corn and distribute it among those gathered. Families would then return home for a thanksgiving dinner cooked on an open wood fire. Khimat (spiced warm liquor) was served in chavnies (small wine cups) accompanied by music played on the ghumat (The ghumat is an ancient folk percussion instrument.It is an earthen pot with two mouths, one of which is wide and the other is narrow. The wider mouth is covered with monitor lizard skin,secured with cotton string. The ghumat is suspended from the neck of the musician.)
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* Though Agera celebrations were forgotten after the fields vanished, a few years ago, Cardinal Ivan Dias raised the agera feast as ‘Thanksgiving Day’ for the Archdiocese of Mumbai and fixed it to be celebrated on first Sunday of October.
It is still celebrated in areas where paddy is harvested, around Vasai, Virar, Marol, etc.