Nature plays a very important role in the life of humans and all living beings on this planet. Imbibing the importance of environment and its role in today's modern lifestyle, the Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade adopted a novel method by blending it with cultural values. Locating the wild vegetables available in Keri-Sattari and cooking them into local cuisine, the Brigade displayed 21 recipes in a green exhibition during the holy month of Shravan.
Many of the wild vegetables that were once the part of the Goan cuisine have gone into oblivion as their traditional knowledge has long disappeared. Kudduk (Celosia argentes), Taikalo (Cassia tora) and Aakur (Acrosticum aureus) are the three seasonal wild vegetables mainly used by Goans, as they are available in the market for the sale. However, Bonkolo (Cheilocostus speciosus), Ranmethi (Melilotus indica), Bharangi (Clerodendrum serratum), Dino (Leea macrophylla), Khayati (Corchorus olitorius), Navuli (Merremia vitifolia), Ghotvel (Smilax ovlifolia), Suyichi Bhaji (Dipcadi montaum), Tere (Colocasia esculenta) leaves were naturally available during the monsoon. The tender leaves were used for prepare vegetable.
"But, today use of these vegetables has been stopped in the Goan cuisine, as the people have forgotten the health benefits of these vegetables and their traditional use in the cuisine and in ethno-botany," says Suryakant Gaonkar, a resident of Bhuipal and an active member of Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade.
Pournima Kerkar, who took active initiative in preparing delicious dishes from the wild vegetables joyfully states, "We have prepared tasty dishes from the pods of Kudo (Holarrhona pubescens), shoots of Kankiche Komb (Bambusa arundinacea) shoots of Chivar (Oxytenanthara ritcheyi), fruits of Pendhare (Tamilnadia uliginosa) and fruits of Ran Karmal (Dilienia indica). Our efforts were appreciated by the parents, teachers, students and nature lovers who visited the exhibition."
Inaugurating the exhibition of wild vegetables at Vivekanand Dnyan Mandir High School, Keri, the member secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board Pradip Sarmukadam stressed the need of documenting the details of the wild vegetables. Pradip stated, "With global warming, there is urgent need to document the traditional knowledge of the wild vegetables not only in cuisine but also in ethnobotany through People Biodiversity Register under Village Biodiversity Management Committee."
"The exhibition was an eye-opener for all the participants who visited from across Goa. We are making attempts to record information of the floral wealth in our locality with the help of parents, students and teachers," promised Gopinath Gawas, incharge at Vivekanand Dnyan Mandir High School.
