From the 10th to the 12th May, Goa was the center of attention for Cashew Fest, an event that educates and promotes alcoholic beverages derived from cashew along with other foods. My Goa Team provided live updates of the event which took place at the Dayanand Bandodkar Ground in Panaji. Cashew Fest Season two was inaugurated in the hands of Minister for Art & Culture Govind Gaude, in the presence of Dr Deviya Rane – Chairperson of Goa Forest Development Corporation, Ganesh Gaonkar – GTDC Chairman, Vasco MLA Daji Salkar, Kamal Datta – Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Umakant – Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Praveen Kumar Raghaw – Chief Conservator of Forests, and Nandkumar Parab – MD, GFDC.
Chief Guest Govind Gaude in an interview with My Goa network, urged the present generation not to sell land as cashews were grown on it. Dr Deviya Rane -chairperson of GFDC stated that Cashew Fest represents a beautiful blend of tradition, culture and community empowerment. “We are aiming to empower businesses, particularly women-led rural self-help groups, while preserving and promoting Goan cultural heritage. This event stands as a beacon of hope for cashew farmers and local communities”, she added.
It was a three-day event, organized by the Goa Forest Development Corporation that showcases various aspects of Goa’s rich heritage, including the traditional process of making feni, technical sessions on the latest technologies in cashew production, a display of antiques related to cashews, food and beverage stalls, live music, a fashion show, and more. Both locals and visitors from other countries attended the event, where they danced to the music of national artists and Goan bands while enjoying feni, hurrak, cocktails, and other delicacies.
A wide range of cashew industry participants, including farmers, processors, distillers, retailers, agriculturists, restaurant owners, academicians, technical experts, and others, were present at the event.
Famous musicians and DJs Dhavni Bhanushali, Akhil Sachdeva, Ash King, DJ Afroz, DJ Azmin, Mark Revlon, True Blue and others added more sparks to the Cashew fest 2024, who got the audience up and moving to the music. Regretfully, rain caused a few hours’ interruption to the stage acts, but the audience remained inside the arena. Goans have truly demonstrated their undying love for both the custom and their favorite fruit. Everyone was rejuvenated and reenergized by Akhil Sachdeva’s calming voice once the rain stopped on day 2.
Distillation of feni was done in the middle of the Cashew Fest arena, and attendees were given live demonstrations and information on the entire feni-making process. Adjacent to it, was a display of latest available machines used in separating the cashew fruit and nut, followed by, serving of roasted cashew nuts to public.
For the second Cashew Fest season, Day 3 received the most visitors. Mark Revlon, a Goan singing sensation, and his band raised the festival spirits. The audience could be heard humming along to the classic Konkani songs before getting ready for Ash King’s performance, the season’s finale. Just as on day 2, there were brief weather delays during the performances. However, Goan’s were not let down.
All things considered, the Cashew Fest season has succeeded in teaching the younger generation about the true worth of cashews and our cultural legacy. The tremendous crowd turnout and the achievement of the second season’s goal were praised by GFDC Chairperson Deviya Rane. According to her, Goa government is attempting to make the third season of the cashew festival international in order to increase the visibility of cashew farming and the variety of alcoholic and food products, as well as their commercial value.
