It's at Socorro: celebrate the ongoing Poderanchem Fest
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The three-day event Poderanchem Fest begins at Socorro today with fervour. Attractive stalls selling bread, plants and organic products were the centre of attraction at the feast venue in the church complex in the morning while the stalls selling different types of bread along with various combinations made a good sale as visitors rushed to have taste of the traditional Goan bread types along with their modern counterparts.
“All seven vaddes in Socorro village are participating in the fest with most of the homes displaying their best potted plant at our ‘Garden of Socorro’ event. There are no competitions, no prizes, no chief guest and no politicians in our fest which the villagers celebrate in an eco-friendly manner, with ban on plastic,” says Connie Pinto, president, Socorro Socio-Art Cultural Club, Porvorim.
The Botanical Society of Goa supported stalls selling plants (fruits, ornamental and flowering) as well as organic plant products were visited by curious plant lovers. Caje Almeida Farm, Green Goa Works, Green Fingers Nursery, self-help groups and farmers’ clubs also displayed their products.
“I am willing to show free demonstrations on grafting to whosoever is interested,” offers Cajeton Almeida, proprietor Caje Almeida Farm, Raia. Sharing knowledge regarding fruit growing plants to plant lovers is Cajeton’s forte. He has rare fruit growing plants like sour sop fruit, dragon fruit, star fruit, passion fruit, toneless jagma, gumless jackfruit, sweet tamarind, velvet fruit, egg fruit, rambutan, ripple berries, cherries, pomelo, oranges, seedless lime, sweet lemons, love apples etc.
Anthony Lobo from Pomburpa shares his knowledge on growing flowering and ornamental plants like orchids, anthuriums, roses etc. “We are selling herbal pest repellents, soaps, jaggery powder, peanut oil, hand washes and face washes, honey, hair dyes and organic compost,” said the attendant at Green Goa Works.
Noted cartoonist of Goa Alexyz enlightened the public on breads of Goa in the evening which proved out to be a cultural evening with entertainment programmes, brass band, folk dance and folk music, all in Konkani.
The second day will witness a celebration of Gandhi Jayanti in the morning, followed by a fancy dress competition in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi and St Teresa of Calcutta. School children dressed in attires like Gandhi and Mother Teresa will participate in the competition. Also around 80 underprivileged children are invited to enjoy at the feast. In the evening Miguel Braganza, secretary, Botanical Society of Goa will speak about plants and answer to the public queries. The cultural programmes and brass band will continue till late evening.
