After a very joyful and fruitful encounter with the Risen Lord at the Easter celebration in the community and in total fidelity to the message of the angel to the women of the Gospel, the community of Mumbai felt it only fitting that the Easter experience and its message be taken beyond its walls. The destination chosen was not the Galilee of Jesus’ time but the lake side of Hussain Sagar, the lake that unites the twin cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad, cities known for their history, culture, religiosity, commerce and IT companies.
The two day trip began with a short pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Secunderabad, followed by the Eucharistic celebration in the community chapel of the Daughters of St Paul. After sharing the Easter message symbolically with a piece of cake and rose wine prepared by the sisters, we set out for our first day destination Ramoji Film city, the world’s largest integrated film studio complex. Spread over 1600 acres of land studded with hills and lakes, it is India’s filmmakers’ first choice when it comes to making their films. Every facility a filmmaker could ever want can already be found there: 50 studio floors, high-tech laboratories, outdoor locations, greenery, and the wonderful hills and landscapes. Such are its resources that, at any given time, twenty international films and forty Indian films can be made simultaneously in it. The sites tourists can visit include a Japanese garden, an airport terminal, artificial lakes and waterfalls, churches, mosques and temples, palace interiors, and a winding highway, among others.
On the second day, the Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrated the Eucharist with the faithful of St Mary’s Basilica. The day was set aside for a city tour which covered the Charminar, Museum, Golgonda Fort, Necklace road and concluded with a boat ride in the Hussain Sagar lake. The grand finale of our Easter celebration outside our community walls was the friendly get-together-cum-dinner organized by our host Mr Gerard Patrick who had also invited some of his non-Christian friends to join us. The two day community event was concluded on a note of profound joy and peace by intoning Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia. Indeed it was an unforgettable Easter experience for all of us and whose lovely memories will certainly last for years to come. Yes, The Lord has truly Risen. Alleluia!