For centuries in Goa, the paddy harvest has been celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm in August, when the new rice grains (konxeo) are formed. The celebration, called Konsachem fest, intertwines faith, farming and thanksgiving, is held on different dates in different villages across Goa – Raia in Salcete is the first to celebrate their harvest, on August 5, while Salvador do Mundo in Bardez celebrates the feast of their patron Saviour of the World on August 6, which is also the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Other places celebrate the Harvest Festival either on August 15 or 24, the feast of St Bartholomeu.
In Merces, traditionally, a statue of St Cajetan was carried in procession on August 15 from the Cardoso family Chapel near Dovornem to the church and placed in the aisle. The following Sunday, a statue of St Barbara was brought from her Chapel in Chimbel, in a similar procession. On the evening of the 23rd, statues of St Isidore and Our Lady of Merces were also placed in the aisle, with their wooden palanquin-like shrines adorned with fragrant flowers.
At dawn on the feast day, August 24, the brass band paraded through the village, heralding a grand spectacle. The first service saw all four statues carried by the Confraria to fields near Old Niyaz, where the paddy crop was blessed and harvested, and then returned to the church for Mass and distribution.
The priest typically gives thanks to God for the sustenance He provides, and also prays for the farmers’ good health, for the fallow fields of the village to be revived.
The second service involved St Barbara leading the procession to fields in Vaddy, near the Kadamba bypass in Ribander. The third and grandest procession, led by Our Lady of Merces, went to the spot where the bust of Jack Sequeira now stands, beyond A Lua. Mass followed at the church, where paddy harvested from Morombi O Pequeno was distributed among congregants.
The procession routes were adorned with tall bamboo arches, the tender leaves of the coconut palm, paper decorations, and flowers. Local printing presses produced paper strips that were strewn on the roads like confetti.
Homes, both Christian and Hindu, along the route lit candles on their balconies, with some placing incense along the way. Local chapels and crosses rang their bells as the processions passed.
Unfortunately, in recent decades, the grand celebrations here have been toned down and fields have largely gone unplanted. The festival has lost its grandeur as many locals have moved abroad, recount old timers who say they looked forward to this feast all year.
With every passing year, the Novidade has become a shorter, quicker version of the traditional feast, marked by the absence of St Isidore and St Barbara. This year, only one field is being harvested in Vaddy. This decline in tradition reflects a broader loss of Goan identity. While fields may no longer be cultivated, maintaining even a small symbolic patch in each area could revive the original customs. The farmers who continue to cultivate fields in Vaddy, and the faithful who still bring St Cajetan in procession must be commended.
In the evening, there will be beat shows, tiatr, and other festivities near the church celebrating Konsachem fest. However, these modern attractions may overshadow the traditional rituals that are the festival's essence—akin to having a Christmas tree without a nativity scene. There is hope that with collective effort, we can restore our sacred heritage and revive these cherished traditions.