LOCALS KEEP THE AGE-OLD TRADITIONS OF ‘PURUMENT’ ALIVE IN MARGAO

Over the years, locals from around Margao would wait for the annual feast of the Holy Spirit. Rusair Souza from Colva comes to the fair selling home grown salt fish. “I’ve been coming here for almost 30-35 years now, I don’t miss selling at this feast. The sale of dried fish over the years has gone down, but the older people still prefer eating salt fish.”

Mira kankonkar, from Bambolim sources binda (kokum) sola and ambeachi (raw mango) sola from other families in Curca. “This festival is also called the Purumentachem fest, and all the produce is sold at a reasonable rate. This also gives employment for many housewives.”
Maria Colaço from Velim is retiring back to UK in the first week of June and she has carried with her a few kgs of dried fish. She says, “you can take the girl from Goa, but cannot take goa from the girl. I was lucky to be here at this time - there is a lot I can take - especially pickles.”

Small prawns - Rs 100-150 a podd
Sole (salted sting ray) Rs 400-600 for small size
Bade (silver belts) - Rs 200-300
Big dried Prawns - Rs 200-250
Dried kokum (binda sol) Rs 200 per podd