By Matters India Reporter
Dhajea, Nov 28, 2021: A rural village in Darjeeling Hills on November 28 organized open air concert of orchestra pieces and cultural dances in memory of the founder of a Catholic mission.
Dhajea Busty mission was started in the 1990s by Italian Salesian Father Luigi Jellici, who was also the founder of Don Bosco Mirik mission in 1995.
Father Jellici memorial concert, brain child of music maestro Father Nirmol Gomes, was held in the grounds of Nazareth Bhavan Salesian novitiate to showcase cultural and musical talents of Dhajea Busty youth in collaboration with nine Salesian novices.
Besides orchestra pieces jointly performed by novices and youth, the village youth staged cultural dances.
Father Samuel Lepcha, vicar general of the Darjeeling-Sikkim diocese, was the chief guest. Dignitaries included Salesian Father George Thadathil, principal of Salesian College Siliguri/ Sonada. Both priests had worked with Father Jellici.
The Italian missionary had worked in the Balasun Valley from 1963 until his death in 2009.
Father Jellici was born in Tesero near Trentino in northeastern Italy and came to India with 7 Salesian companions on December 5, 1932.
He was and organist and choir master at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Calcutta for 17 years. He was then transferred to Salesian College Sonada where he stayed for 29 years. He moved to Don Bosco Church Mirik in 1992 where he worked for 17 years.
Catechist Cleophas Giri of Sonada who preached and taught catechism with Father Jellici from 1975 to 1990 lists at least 18 places where the duo had worked including Dhajea Busty.
When Father Jellici took charge of Balasun valley area had only 5 Catholic families.
At the missionary’s death at the age of 94, in 2009, the mission had 24 Mass centers, parishes in Sonada and Mirik, as well as a quasi-parish in Dhajea and more than 400 Catholic families.
It is commendable that the youth remembered these pioneers who brought the Christian faith to them.