The East Indian Catholics (EI) are not a people of brevity, in speech or in song. This was reconfirmed in the theme of an annual singing competition by the EI Koli community in Chimbai earlier this month. The backdrop of the stage read ‘Zaila Magaicha ubbala parinaam garibavar zail naa savkar asli tupp khahu lagla.’ It  means that the cost of living has impacted the poor, yet the rich eat special ghee. But how can one be terse with such joie de vivre and a strong sense of community? Celebrations have always carried on within this dwindling community without the knowledge of outsiders, despite the thumping beats of a live band. But it was only a few years ago that initiatives were taken across community associations and hamlets to strengthen the culture, especially among the youth. If you want a crash course on everything EI, an annual singing competition, if not a wedding, is where you need to be.

A woman performs on stage; (right) Sherline Joel Bareto and Franco John Patil