Goa’s biggest festival which brings people from all walks of life together, Ganesh Chaturthi, will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
The festivities may have just begun, but some preparations start well in advance. And, this buzz is seen in kitchens, especially in Goa’s villages, where women come together to make a variety of sweets for the festival.
The sweet platter is incomplete without the favourite sweet-savoury snack, called nevri/nevreo, which is associated with Ganesh Chaturthi and also Christmas in Goa.
This crescent-shaped deep-fried flour parcels, filled with a sweet or spicy stuffing, is what defines Goa’s Chaturthi festivities.
NEVREOS IN GOA
“Nevreos are considered a symbol of happiness. They are offered to Lord Ganesha. It is kind of a must for the Ganesh festival,” says food historian and writer, Fatima da Silva Gracias. She maintains that this sweet is made during Chaturthi, Christmas and in some places like Pernem, even during wedding, thread ceremonies and even the Shigmo festival held in March.
Gracias confirms that there’s hardly any difference between a nevri made during Chaturthi or Christmas. She elaborates that it is the traditions which the Goans have followed even after getting converted to Christianity.
“For Christmas, deep-fried nevreos with a stuffing of semolina and coconut, and like Chaturthi sweets, it is also shared with friends and family,” states Gracias.
Making these fried nevreos is a laborious task as the preparations start around 15 days in advance. The most common nevri is made with the dry desiccated coconut stuffing, with semolina and dry fruits. For this, the grated coconut is dried for several days. The other common fillings are those of toasted gram flour (besan) and moong dal.
There’s also a spicy version to it as it helps to cut the monotony of the sweet taste. It is made of roasted gram flour, and spices such as asafoetida, turmeric and red chilli powder.
Along with these nevreos, there are other types which are specially made on the day of the festival. They are known as purnachi nevri (with a filling made from lentils and jaggery) and the other chunnachi nevri (that has a mixture of freshly grated coconut (chun), jaggery, cardamom powder and pure ghee). Both are stuffed in flour pastry and deep-fried.
As these fillings have a short shelf life, they should be consumed within a day or two of being prepared.
Nevreos are also an integral part of the vajem, or big basket filled with goodies and pooja items gifted by parents to their newlywed daughter and her new family. And, the one item which is a must is a nevri. “Among these nevreos, the biggest one is reserved for the son-in-law. The rest is distributed to friends and neighbours,” adds Gracias.
THEN & NOW
Goan folklore expert and writer, Jayanti Naik, states that just like many other regional delicacies, nevri is also made from ingredients which are locally sourced, such as jaggery and coconut, while referring to the nevreos made on the first day.
She suggests that deep-fried nevreos, made with coconut or besan stuffing, are a recent phenomenon which is directly related to modernity and a change in lifestyle.
“I hail from the hinterland of Goa, and even during my childhood, I only saw the chunnachi and purnachi, being made for Chaturthi. I believe this is a recent development – making these with besan or other stuffings. Nowadays, we have access to ingredients, such as dry fruits, which are not local. Also, the fact that these can last for days together has made them very popular.”
These days, this tradition of making nevreos, which brought people together is fading with time. The made-to-order caterers are coming to the rescue of city dwellers.
Social media advertising of such homemade stuff and pop-up bazaars has made it convenient for everyone.
Naik observes that this is an urban situation as in villages and semi-urban areas, women still make these items at home. “The middle class is still involved in this tradition of cooking at home. They will make at least a few for the purpose of offering as this is always considered a symbol of celebration,” she adds.
On that sweet note, wishing everyone a happy Ganesh Chaturthi!
Arti Das is a freelance journalist based in Goa. She loves writing about art, culture and the ecology of Goa.
