Seated at his stall inside the pandal is Hareshwar Halarnkar who hails from Britona in North Goa. He is a traditional fisherman and an exhibitor who has been participating in the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival ever since it began some years ago.
Having started on February 2, 2024, at the Campal Grounds in Panjim, the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival has been organised by the Department of Fisheries in favour of all the people associated with the fisheries sector in Goa. The three-day festival opens at 10 am.
Selling dried fish, which is every Goan's favourite accompaniment with their rice and curry, Hareshwar recalls the festival first being held in Mapusa before moving to Panjim.
“The response has not been great this year probably because people have flocked to the Lokotsav festival instead,” says the disheartened man.
The Lokotsav festival is simultaneously happening just down the road and will end on February 4, 2024, the same day the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival will end. “The response was better last year,” he smiles.
Fish swimming around is a common sight at the fest, which also has several other attractions, especially once the sun has set and the bright decorations come to life.
As for taking some of those cute little fishes home, Reena D’Souza, a resident of the island of Divar is one of the many exhibitors that one can approach.
Practicing ornamental fish marketing, Reena is delighted to be at the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival, and contrary to Hareshwar, says that the response towards her stall has been great.
Perhaps the odds are in her favour, or maybe it has more to do with what her stall, ‘Nabard’ has to offer. Right from adorable little goldfish to angel fish and three types of guppies, ‘Nabard’, among the many other stalls at Campal, made the children who took home a fish or two, jump with joy!
For the longest time, Goa has been synonymous with the sea, sun and sand and Goan cuisine, synonymous with delicious fish.
With fishing being one of the importance facets of Goa, festivals like the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival are a statement to Goa and all that is has to offer.
