Report: Vijai D’Cunha (Muscat/G-kere)

Pics: Joachim Dsouza

Muscat, Dec 7: Christmas joy was all around as Mangalorean Catholic Centre of the Parish (MCCP – Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ruwi), organised ‘Christmas Dhamaka’ on November 30 at Ruwi Parish Hall, with a large gathering to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season along with their families and friends.

The fun-filled programme commenced with well-known Konkani drama writer and stage artist Walter Mendonca taking the center stage as the compere. Fr Marian Miranda, spiritual director, commenced the festivities with a prayer and a Christmas message. The chief guest of the event was Adolf D’Souza, who was then welcomed and felicitated with bouquets by Ajith Walder, president of MCCP.

While addressing the gathering, Ajith Walder welcomed the audience and wished all the best to the participating teams in the group talent competition. In a key note, he also said that, winning is not important but to participate in such events is equal to an honour.

The highlight of the competition event was a group talent show for 12 minutes, which expected to include variety, costume, performance and a theme connecting to the Christmas. Four groups of 15 members each participated in the contest. The participants were:

Sailent Knights: Naveen Mathias, Suman Mathias, Melwin Dsouza, Zeeliya Dsouza, Lavisha Sequeira, Christopher Lobo, Joel Sequeira, Joel Dsouza, Rayner Dcunha, Ransley Dcunha, Meural Dsouza, Macniel Dsouza, Nathan Dsouza, Johan Mathias, Evan Mathias.

Panglachin Nekethran: Vinod Terence Dsouza, Melwin Menezes, Stany Jovin Menezes, Alan Rodrigues, Rames Lobo, Steevan Quadros, Don Fernandes, Shyla Machado, Violet Dcosta, Tina Saldana, Trecilla Menezes, Violet Lobo, Ashish Martis, Chelsey Dsa, and Calida Machado.

Santa’s Little Helpers: Deepak Dsouza, Nancy Dsouza, Flavy Dsouza, Ashok Kiran Pinto, Daisha Dsouza, Laisha Dsouza, Renessa Walder, Lael Alva, Leanne Alva, Shawn Dsouza, Ajith Dcosta, Reshma Dcosta, Anisha and Aman Dcosta, and Melita Alva.

Kushali Kalakar-Muscat: Ashok Tellis, Robin Loyed Lobo, Richard D’Cunha, Neshwil Pinto, Roshan D’Costa, Delon D’Costa, Nilesh Tellis, Nivesh Tellis, Pradeep Tellis, Valson Cuttinha, Reema Tellis, Roshel Tellis, Ralston Tellis, and Arun Lobo.

Before the contest to begin, Deepak Dsouza explained the rules of the competition and Melita Alva, introduced the judges of the event:

Monica Walder is a multi-talented personality hailing from Bantwal and residing in Dubai. She is an Icon of Mangalorean talents whose personality can be summed up in a few words, ‘Her Passion for Music and Passion for Fashion’.

Shyline Frank is from Goa and residing in Muscat. She is a multi-faceted personality, who is also an entrepreneur having co-founded Creative Communications in Oman and a renowned singer as well.

Koni Prakash Naik is a native of Kundapur and residing in Muscat. He has been a pioneer in initiating and realizing various socio-cultural activities such as Yakshagana, drama, music, and charity work.

Among the contesting teams, members of ‘Salient Knights’ exhibited a unique combination with fun packed mixture of short skit, singing and dancing, also with a message on environment protection and bad impact from the use of plastics. Members of ‘Panglachin Nekethran’ enthralled the gathering with scintillating performances and traditional ‘Ghumta’ (A native traditional musical Instrument of ages). While members of ‘Santa’s Little Helpers’ did a commendable performance, particularly audience were thrilled by the musical dance by Renessa Walder and Leannne Alva, who also exhibited a special talent in generating musical sound out of a plastic cup by hitting it gently to the table in a rhythm-based manner. Members of ‘Kushali Kalakar-Muscat’ kept the audience thrilled with their fun filled short skits and other entertainments through-out.

All the participants tried their best to bring out their best talents and performances and created a Christmas mood all around. It was a toughest task to differentiate the performances, and finally ‘Salient Knights’ was declared with first prize, followed by ‘Panglachin Nekethran’ and ‘Santa’s Little Helpers’ in the second and third place respectively. The winning team members were then awarded with certificates and Prizes by Ajith Walder with his entire executive committee team on stage.

Thereafter, Ajith Walder thanked and felicitated all the three judges of the competition by presenting them with mementos as a token of respect and gratitude.

A star making competition was also announced earlier, wherein participants presented their homemade stars. The winners of the star competition too were honoured with Prizes. The winners were:

First place: Helen Siqueira & Team

Second place: Master Johan & Evan Mathias

Third place: Celestine Pinto

During the event a comedy skit enacted by Vinod Terence Dsouza, Melwin Menezes, Priyanka Rodrigues and Travon Jaden Dsouza, brought out great entertainment and laughter.

A music CD ‘Jinye Rangg’ created by Walter Dantis was released during the occasion by Apolinaris D'Souza, an eminent personality in Konkani music in Oman, with Monica Walder, and Ajith Walder also present on stage. For CD’s contact Mr. Walter dantis- whatzaap @0091-7204084664. Or you can order your copies online at paypassion. https://imojo.in/jinyerangg.

The stage then turned colourful with Christmas Carrol singing by ‘Ghalachi Neketra’, who sang a catchy mix of carols with their beautiful voices gave the audience great delight. The Participants were Melwin Dsouza, Naveen Mathias, Zeeliya Dsouza, Suman Mathias, Lavisha Dsouza, Peter Dsouza, Cecelia Dsouza, Meurel Riva Dsouza, and Christopher Lobo.

DJ music by Jason Cardoza kept the crowd thoroughly enjoying with some foot tapping music added charm and aura of the evening.

The very special Christmas guest and children's most favourite of the season "Santa Claus" entry with his jingling bells and bag full of chocolates excited the children. Vikas Fernandes as ‘Santa’ and a band of different characters when arrived in a procession, the floor soon started overflowing with children, ladies and the gentlemen, donning colorful attire and dancing merrily to the melodies churned out by DJ Jason.

The audiences were kept busy throughout the event with spot games and prizes. The entire event was very eloquently compeered in Konkani dialect by Walter Mendonca and Ashok Pinto proposed the vote of thanks.

The curtains came down about 8:00 pm with the people leaving the venue with content and vivid memories of the most magnificent ‘Christmas Dhamaka 2018’. A packed delicious food was also served at the exit.

The event was organised with great professionalism by all the team members of the executive committee of MCCP ‘Team-27’ for the year 2018-19, whose contributions were whole heartedly acknowledged by Ajith Walder as its president. The other executive committee members of Team-27 are Roshan Praveen Tellis, vice president-Sports & Finance, Flavia D’Souza, vice president-Cultural, Spiritual & Community Service, Melita Sheela Alva, general secretary, Ashok Kiran Pinto, honorary treasurer, Denzil Nishan Sequeira, internal auditor, Ajith D’Costa, sports secretary, Deepak Ranjan D’Souza, cultural secretary, Walter Mendonca, spiritual secretary, and Dynet Fremcitha Fernandes, community service secretary.

MCCP acknowledged Ophelia Lazarus for star competition prizes sponsorship through Majan continental Hotel, Lael and Leanne Alva for the power point presentation, Melita Alva and Dean D’Souza for the back drop design, Jason Cardoza for the DJ, Joachim D'Souza for the photography, Muscat United Pangalites for the skit, Melwin D’Souza and his team for the carol singing, Lancy Lobo for the hall decorations, Elizabeth Noronha for membership registration counter and volunteers, and Vijai D’Cunha for managing the online web registration and MCCP portal.