Putting Konkan’s best fruit forward

PANAJI: It’s time again to celebrate the fruit of the Konkan region. The annual Konkan Fruit Fest will be held at the promenade along the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, Campal, Panaji, from April 22 to 24, from 10am to 8pm.


This year, the festival, will put the spotlight on the ann-dodde or bakul (Mimusops elengi). While few know about this fruit or have eaten it, the flowers of the plant, known as vonvllam, are very popular among local women. Small, off-white in colour and sweet-smelling, the flowers are strung together and used to adorn the hair.

On display at the venue will be a wide range of local fruit such as peru or guava (Psidium guajava), adao or adam’s fruit (Mimusops kauki), boram or ber (Ziziphus mauritania), Bombay bor or jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) and nakli badam or Indian almond (Terminalia catappa). Local berries that are a pure summer

indulgence

such as the churna (Zizyphus rugosa), will also be showcased.

Meanwhile various edible products made from the fruits such as fresh juices, jams, candy, ice-cream and wines among others will be up for sale. Visitors will be able to purchase saplings of various fruit-bearing trees.

Anvadde or Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), rozanvdde or star gooseberry (Phyllanthus acidus), karmal or star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) and bimblim (

Averrhoa bilimbi

) which are often pickled or used to make candy will be seen.

Velvet apple (Diospyros kaki) is a chickoo-like fruit that has always drawn curious eyes at the festival and the white sapota or star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) which when cut has a star-shaped core, besides the Mauling or citron (Citrus medica) that is used for medicinal purposes, will also be on display.

Apart from a range of live musical acts to entertain visitors, the festival will also feature a fruit eating competition on April 23 evening.