The feast is annually celebrate in not only Goa but also i Mumbai but the tradition is slightly different in Vasai. Photos Courtesy: Natasha Almeida/Ulhas D'Silva
Hailing from Kondale wadi in Vasai’s Sandor village, Vasaikar Ulhas D’Silva has grown up celebrating Sa-Jao, a colloquial name for Sao Joao, the feast of Saint John the Baptist on June 24, with friends, family and members of his East Indian village
Interestingly, one of the most important aspects of the festival is leaping in the well, which is associated with the Biblical event of Mother Mary meeting her cousin sister Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist at the time, while the former was also carrying Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the number of wells in Mumbai have reduced over the years owing to redevelopment but Ulhas says Vasaikars also swim to beat the heat, as the weather only gets cooler from here on.
On the other hand, Natasha Almeida believes people also jump in the well, which is locally called a ‘baokhal’, because it is still available in their house and villages unlike rest of the city because she says it is still not developed as much, and locals are still rooted in their culture, and that's why they end up preserving the wells
Along with jumping in the well, the Sa-Joao celebrations also have music, says Natasha. It is usually a live band with somebody playing the ghumat, a percussion instrument, among other instruments that locals play in their own bands -- as the festivals brings them together play local tunes
One of the other striking aspects of the celebration is that while it is called 'Sa-Joao' or St John the Baptist's feast, Vasaikars also call it 'Javaycha Sann', which translates to "son-in-law's feast", as the wife's family usually invites the newly married couple back where they treat the son-in-law to a feast that starts the previous night with firecrackers at the entrance, followed by washing their feet at the well, and then enjoying delicious food.
Ulhas says some churches also host a gathering for the newlywed couples who have got married in the past year, where they are invited to the wife’s parish
The celebration is incomplete without food, and with that a traditional East Indian feast. While Ulhas says there is also a tradition of making fugiyas (mildly sweet and deep-fried fermented dough balls), Natasha adds that the son-in-law is usually treated to dishes such as pork indyal (vindaloo) and chicken roast, which are some of the delicacies
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