Saraswat Food Festival

The colourful dishes above are the specimen of the assortment of desserts prepared in the Hindu Saraswat households of Goa on special occasions, particularly for "follar", which is gifted to the pregnant woman, when she returns to her mother's place for her first delivery. There is no limit to the type and the exquisite patterns that one came across in the deftly prepared delicious sweets.

Of course, every item of the Saraswat cuisine is done with meticulous care by the fastidious housewife, to ensure that it does not merely look lovely but tastes equally delicious.

"The way to her man's heart is through his tongue, knows the pretty woman fairly well. Hence she makes sure that she spices the food richly to make it the spice of their married life," whispered in my ears an elderly gentleman, who came behind me as I moved around the fascinating spread of Saraswat cuisine, at the first ever two-day Saraswat Food Festival held at Panjim's Kala Academy recently.

Said one of the charming ladies displaying the array of dishes, she had prepared, "The choicest eating places in Panjim are those governed by Saraswat cuisine: Mandovi, Cidade de Goa, etc." There were so many housewifes and young girls, who had participated in the Festival with dishes, showing the recipes, sweets, pickles, papads, massalas, etc. Of course, quite a few hotels, including those mentioned by that lady, had their chefs at the stalls. They explained in detail what each dish was, which ingredients went into its preparation and on what occasion a particular dish was served.

People virtually made a beeline to the Kala Academy lawns during the two days and enjoyed for the first time the dedicated food prepared by delicate hands. Hardly, any of the women were actually professional cooks. Besides a variety of delicacies and snacks, the Festival also put up very entertaining children's programmes. The kids were awarded prizes for the various competitions for singing, dancing, acting, etc.

Wonder Wedding at the Taj Village

Last month, as if straight from the sets of a Hindi film, from the Fort Aguada Beach Resort emerged a handsome, young groom riding on horseback, with a tiny pageboy in front of him. The baraat was led by a typical brass band, the type engaged generally for Hindu weddings. At every few meters the more excited men and women in baraat would break into a dance.

One gentlemen waved hundred- and ten-rupee notes in the air with both hands while dancing. And allowed the money to flutter in the wind as the spurt of dancing stopped, for the musicians to collect. The groom got down from the horse, upon entering the gate of the Taj Holiday Village, and joined in the dancing. Within moments he was back on the horse.

At the Village's lush lawns, stood a caparisoned elephant to welcome the groom. The bride's party awaited the groom's arrival here. The groom was made to climb on a flower-bedecked square platform for the relatives, generally females for the traditional rites, until the petite bride was helped up the platform. The demure girl went round hurling up handfuls of imported rose petals on the handsome groom. Weighed down with ornaments, her height reached only upto the groom's breast. So, she had to be lifted up by her uncle when the time for garlanding came. Everyone clapped and the young couple took off on a limousine to return about half-an-hour later.

When they returned, the scene shifted to the dream-like Thai palace, erected out of thermocol by special artists from Bombay. The couple sat on a carved sofa against the backdrop of what appeared to be a majestic mirror framed ornately in pearly white. There began the religious rites while a group sang traditional wedding songs. A little distance away, the Goa Police band struck some nostalgia-laden vintage hits.

Meanwhile, the guests were at the long line of tables where food of every variety, prepared under the supervision of a specially flown Rajasthani cook, was spread. Assorted refreshments were served at another spot. Close by was another spread of a large variety of sweet, scented, spiced supari.

The entire gaudy décor is said to have cost nearly Rs.1.10 crore. Rs.4 crore worth ornaments came in from Calcutta and the overall expenditure is rumoured to be in the region beyond Rs.10 crore.

Later in the evening was the Bollywood Nite with Sharukh Khan and the Bollywood crowd entertaining the filthy rich crowd. The second day belonged to Dahler Mendi and his troupe. The wedding went on for three days and a few guests extended their four-day stay a bit further.

There are reports of a similar but costlier wedding, scheduled for February 2001, at a five-star resort. Where newly married would come once for their honeymoon, there are couples coming here from all over to get married.