Mumbai News: East Indian Catholics Celebrate 'San Jao Cha Sann' With Traditional Water Rituals And Heritage Revival

The city's Roman Catholic community celebrated the feast of St John the Baptist last week. For Mumbai's native East Indians, the festival has cultural significance apart from its religious importance. They call the festival 'San Jao Cha Sann', which is observed on June 24, the birthday or the feast day of the saint, or the Sunday after the date. This year, the festival was celebrated on June 28 and 28.

The East Indians also call the day 'Jaavaycha Sann', where new sons-in-law are feted at the bride's house. The newlyweds dress in traditional attire, including gold jewellery, and visit the bride's parish. Later, the couple is treated to a traditional buffet.

As St John the Baptist is revered as the prophetic forerunner and baptiser of Jesus Christ, water is an important element in the celebrations. The newly married couple visits the nearest well or pond for a dip.

This year, the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, the community organisation, announced a campaign to preserve wells, ponds, and other water bodies in their gaothans, their settlements. "The San Jao Bautist Baavri Talav Vachva' project aims to restore and revive the water bodies that play an important role in the community's unique rituals like the wedding custom called Umbracha Pani for the would-be bride and bridegroom," said Aspi Dsouza from MGP's Vakola unit. Umbar, the fig tree, and water symbolise a long life. A water celebration was organised at Vakola, Santacruz East, on Sunday.

In its message for the feast, the Archdiocese of Bombay said the birth of John the Baptist is one of only three birthdays celebrated in the church's liturgy. John, as Jesus' precursor, is a bridge between the prophecies of the Old Testament and their fulfilment in Jesus in the New Testament. His role in preparing the way for Jesus' coming is paramount and therefore ranked as solemnity, the church said.