Mike in hand, M.A. Fernando looks intently from a make-shift tent, outside the church. Whenever a vehicle obstructs the entrance, he calls out to the driver asking him to leave the place.
“Give me a few minutes,” he tells me, his eyes fixed on people entering and leaving the church premises.
It is 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday and the procession has entered the church premises. But, Fernando’s eyes are fixed on people around him. From time to time, he makes announcements.
“This crowd is nothing,” says the 68-year-old Fernando, in-charge of announcements during the 10-day celebration of the feast of ‘Our Lady of Health’ at Annai Velankani Church, Besant Nagar.
“The most challenging day is the first day, when the flag is hoisted. The next challenging day is the car procession day (which falls on September 7).”
Helping Fernando are hundreds of volunteers who ensure the celebrations before the D-day go smoothly. The shrine draws thousands of people from various faiths, ahead of the feast.
Apart from various government departments such as the Police and MTC making special arrangement to help devotees, volunteers form the backbone of the celebrations. They manage the crowd, make announcements, ensure no untoward incident happens and coordinate with government agencies.
This year, nearly 450 people have signed up as volunteers, 100 more than last year. A majority of them are parishioners of the church. Nearly 50 are from other churches. They are divided into 20 committees depending on the nature of the work.
“Getting volunteers is not difficult. The least expected from them is the participation on the first day and on the car procession day,” says Williams, another active volunteer. Planning for the feast starts in June. Once volunteers are enrolled, they are orientated on variety of activities, including crowd management and disposal of flowers. The volunteers are then divided into various groups. For many, it is a matter of pride to be associated with the church during the feast.
D.I. Wilson says, “Another tough job is putting off hundreds of candles lit by devotees and making space for new ones,” says Wilson. Youngsters also play a significant role. “Once, as the procession was being taken through the streets, the wheels of the chariot stopped moving. The youngsters lifted the chariot and brought it to the church,” N. Jano, a businessman, recalls.
