The Parish Pastoral Council of St John the Baptist Church Pilerne under the dynamic leadership of their Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Derick Xavier Fernandes, organised a 4 day event ‘Utsovache Rong’ in the church courtyard, recently. The event which was supposed to begin on 24th April for four consecutive days, was however rescheduled due to the mourning period observed for Pope Francis.
On 27th April, after the Divine Mercy Feast, we had the ‘Kakluticho Utsov’ wherein the Band of Priests treated the parishioners to some soulful and uplifting Gospel music. The Programme ended with the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the final Blessing to all present.
The ‘Kajucho Utsov’held on Thursday, 1st May heralded the beginning of the remaining three days of the ‘Utsovache Rong’. The highlights of the evening were: Live music by Agnelo Fernandes- One Man band, Fancy Dress Competition with the theme- Elements of Cashew, Fun Games and Entertainment, Housie and Traditional Goan Food.
On 2nd May was the ‘Songitacho Utsov’-An all Goa Konkani Singing Competition, under different categories, viz. Duet, Duo, Trio, Quartet. Due to the rescheduling of the event, many participants opted out and we were left with only 4 teams in the Duet category. Cash prizes and a trophy were awarded to the first two winners.
The All Goa Konkani Singing Competition witnessed an overwhelming response, celebrating the rich heritage of Konkani music. The esteemed panel of judges for the event included renowned personalities like Mr. Michael Gracias, Ms. Voilet D’Souza, and Mr. Joshua Fernandes.
In the Duet Category, the competition saw impressive performances from talented participants across Goa. The winners were as follows:
- First Place was awarded to Delphia Kelly Souza and Daylon Peter Souza for their soulful rendition of the classic “Kumpar” by C. Alvares.
- Second Place went to Mathy Botelho and Allwyn Souza for their lively performance of “Ek Cheddum” by Robin Vaz.
The singers were accompanied by the Brass Band, which regaled the audience with their energetic instrumental music. After the Brass Band, the band ‘Ginger and Honey’ took centre stage and electrified the crowd with their pulsating performance.
The Fete ‘Ekvottacho Utsov’ on 3rd May brought down the curtains on the grand event ‘Utsovache Rong’. Unity among all members of society was beautifully symbolized through a vibrant display of colours—red, green, yellow, and white—each represented by different age groups. As the participants gracefully walked towards the stage, the Jubilee Song was sung by Fr. Derick Fernandes with great enthusiasm, creating a spirit of harmony and togetherness.
The celebration culminated in the joyous cutting of the Jubilee cake, marking a memorable moment of collective pride and festivity. This symbolic gesture highlighted the essence of unity in diversity and the shared joy of the community.
The band ‘Knight and Day’ entertained the crowd with their high-energy performance and had the youth dancing enthusiastically. Fun games conducted by the Parish youth, Housie and the mouthwatering dishes served at the various counters were the highlights of the day. Each day had a specific dress code viz. Red for Kakluticho Utsov, Yellow for Kajucho Utsov, Green for Songitacho Utsov and White for Ekvottacho Utsov.
