The Feast of The Three Kings celebrated atop the Cansaulim hill is one that has been carried on for generations. For the gaunkars whose sons are chosen to represent the Three Kings,
it is a moment of privilege, honour, joy, and a way to grow in their faith
DIANA FERNANDES
NT NETWORK
The Feast of the Epiphany or The Three Kings Feast is celebrated annually on January 6 and marks the end of the Christmas season. The feast celebrates the three kings or magi who travelled from far to find the baby Jesus, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense.
In Goa, in the villages of Cansaulim, Cuelim, and Arrossim, this feast is steeped in history, culture, and tradition. The feast is organised by the ‘vangodd’ or the ‘original settlers’ of these three villages. Every year, three boys who belong to lineages of the original ‘gaunkars’ either paternally or maternally are chosen to be the kings.
In a way, the real preparation begins as soon as a boy of the village is born. Hansel Vaz and Dr. Wenona Fernandes, parents to Liam Antonio Vaz who is the Cansaulim Magi, chosen from his maternal side are testament to this. “When Liam was born, we were congratulated saying a king is born. One of the first things we did was put his name on the list to be chosen as king. It is an honour that might come once in a lifetime for my wife’s family and it was a moment of pride and happiness when we were told that Liam was chosen as king,” says Hansel.
From designing the crown, to the mantel, the horse that the boys will ride, the entire process is nothing short of preparing for a wedding, says Hansel adding that to make the moment even more memorable, he has commissioned a special painting in the Mughal miniature art style for his son.
For the King of Cuelim, Azariah Xavier Da Silva, chosen from his maternal side, and his parents Roy Savio Da Silva and Sandra Del Maria Pereira, this moment holds a deep resonance. “Azariah’s profound reverence for statues of saints and Mother Mary, reflected in his collection of nearly 120 pieces, makes his role as one of the kings more than symbolic. It becomes a sacred addition to his lifelong devotion,” says Sandra.
While acknowledging that the external preparations were needed for the celebration, the focus was on Jesus. “After the grandeur fades, we live with experience, cherish memories ,and treasure God’s presence in our celebration,” she says.
The moment is also one that she knows her late father would be most proud of. “My late father, Pascoal Pereira, was a strong pillar of this tradition helping out to ensure everything went on smoothly. Though he did not have his own heir to become one of the kings, the birth of his first grandson filled him with immense joy. With great pride, he exclaimed “rei ailo”, celebrating the moment his grandson became one of the kings in 2003,” says Sandra. “And now, with the third grandson as king this year, I believe he continues to watch over us.”
For the King of Arossim, Jaden Agnelo Bravo Fernandes who was chosen from his paternal side of the family, his parents Anthony Fernandes and Lorelei Altea Fernandes along with his grandparents Wenhiston Fernandes and Josephine Fernandes are overjoyed. “We have seen many of our cousins, neighbours and family members being chosen as the king but neither me nor my father had the opportunity of being crowned the king. So for Jaden to be chosen and to be given this chance is a joyous and momentous occasion. We are all head over heels, my father more so than me. There is something so special and uplifting about the entire preparation that went into it,” says Anthony.,” says Anthony.
The preparation of the crown and clothes were simple, he says, but the solemnity of the occasion that is more important. “We are so thankful to God and Our Lady for giving us this opportunity. This is something we felt Jaden needed to understand as well,”
he says.
The Epiphany, he adds, is one of the important parts of the Christmas story. “It’s all about the changing of lives after having met Jesus our Lord, King and Saviour. We all know the story of how King Herod had wanted to kill Jesus. The lives of the Three Kings had changed after meeting Baby Jesus and they went on a different path from King Herod, and in the same way, this too is a life changing moment for us,” he says. The journey of the Three Kings is also an aspect that has been maintained for generations. After a procession from their respective villages, the kings meet at the base of the Cuelim hill from where they ascend the hill on horseback to The Chapel of Our Lady of Remedios for the feast mass.
