Strap:
– The triumphant feast of Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven is also famous for its annual ‘Purumentache Fest’ at the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim
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– The traditional fair was an important aspect in the yesteryears, its beauty now gradually fading
Dolcy D’Cruz / Team Café
One of the oldest in Goa, the church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception in Panjim dates back to 1541. The feast of Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven will be celebrated in a grnd manner at the church today. Another major attraction during the feast is the Purumentache Fest fair that is set up along with it. “The feast of ascension is held 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus’ and has been celebrated at the church since its establishment.
This feast has been conventionally held during the last week of May, and is accompanied by the fair that brings with it homemade eatables and farm produce that would not traditionally be available in the market during the monsoon. The trend of shopping for stocking up or ‘Purument’ has been a long-running tradition which is passed on from one generation to the other.
In the past, people did not have the luxuries of refrigerators and freezers to preserve their food. They would dry the required foodstuff with salt and store it away in a cool place so that it would last through the monsoon and the entire year. People from the farming community would especially store food, as they knew they would be tilling the land and would not have time to go to the market. Though the heavy showers would keep the people indoors, they would not have to compromise on food as they would have enough stocked to get them through the rains.
“I remember as a child, watching my mother grow chillies in Aldona. Just before the feast, she would pack them in bags and we used to travel by ferry to come to sell them at the fair in Panjim. Many villagers would join us with their own produce and since the fair came only once in the year, everyone would be excited about it,” says Fr Antonio D’Souza from the Panjim church.
Earlier, different villages would come together to be part of this huge fair. Caetano Abreu, a parishioner, reminisces, “Purumentache Fest has been held for centuries. People would look forward to it as a means of storing provisions that would be available at the fair. The food items would be dried and brought here to be sold. Now that everything is available in local markets, there is no rush involved in last-minute buying. The traditional fair starting diminishing in the 1970s, before which traditional occupations were given more importance like potters bringing their wares, bamboo weavers bringing mats and other items etc. Now, this is replaced with clothes and other items, while traditional wares are available in the markets anytime of the year.”
With changing trends, the tradition of stocking has spread across different markets in Goa rather than just the fair at the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church. Goans living abroad can especially enjoy meals with Goan delicacies in their own style of stocking food items.
