Samrudhdi Kerkar
When I close my eyes, I’m often transported to our old house with its traditional clay-tiled roof, where my entire childhood was spent happily with my grandparents and the lovingly tended trees that surrounded it, one of which were a few jackfruit trees.
Our quiet afternoons were spent playing Bhatukali, a kitchen-kitchen game under its deep green and tranquil shade. Along with children, the tree also hosted parties for its guests: the birds. It was always a treat to our eyes to spot birds like the paradise flycatcher, grey hornbills, leafbirds, and orioles peeping through its thick, glossy leaves.
Locally known as fanas, the jackfruit tree is quite a useful tree in Goa and across many tropical regions. It is the state tree of Kerala and is held sacred in many cultures around the globe. In Goa, its roundish, thick and lustrous leaves are collected and stitched together with coconut sticks, to craft traditional plates (patravali). These patravalis are deftly crafted and stored throughout the year, ready to be used during village functions and other large community gatherings.
Having a jackfruit tree around is like having a companion to the house. One can smell its sweet fragrance permeating the surroundings, although at times it can also be fetid.
Mostly during winter, the tree would give birth to its young shoots. These tiny shoots, resembling green chillies, would slowly start growing into the fruits that everyone awaited. After a few days, they would grow into tiny baby jackfruits, soft to the touch. Some of them, however, couldn’t make it to maturity. They would die before developing into the robust, gigantic fruits, turning black as if charred and coated with a powdery substance.
During summer, jackfruit is the most awaited delicacy, and every part of it finds its way into Goan kitchens and culture. I think it is not merely a fruit, but something that brings people together. Cutting a jackfruit meant a festival in the family. It was no easy feat, that’s why everyone would gather around to cut it. Before cutting, coconut oil was applied to the hands to keep the sticky latex from clinging while the golden arils were separated from the fibrous core. While doing so, everyone was assigned different jobs, one peeling the outer cover, another removing the arils, and someone else collecting the seeds.
There are two varieties of jackfruit in Goa. If it is Rasal and harvested slightly raw, it finds its way into the kitchen to be cooked as a vegetable. But if it is Kaapo, it goes straight into the stomach amidst laughter and banter while it is being peeled. It is the favourite variety of people to eat when fully ripened.
After we had relished the jackfruit, my grandmother would store its seeds, (Bhikna) in mud to keep them fresh throughout the year. In the chilly monsoon air, she would boil or roast them on the chul and serve them to us as a warm snack.
Jackfruit vegetable, known as shek, is a cherished local delicacy, traditionally served on the leaves of ‘Chandivdo’ plant, Macaranga peltata. My mother tells me that in her village of Palye, whenever there was a wedding or a big family celebration, shek was a must-have dish on the platter.
Once the shek was cooked, people relished it as though it were a royal feast. Today, these delicacies have been replaced by fancier options, and the simple joys of sitting together, working together, and sharing laughter have gradually given way to food ordered from caterers.
The wood of the jackfruit tree is equally valuable. It is used to make the traditional wooden sitting plank known as the paat and the dough-kneading bowl called the maan. It is also used in the making of traditional folk musical instruments in Goa. Beyond its culinary importance, the jackfruit also occupies a special place in our culture. In Sangeli village near Sawantwadi, the sacred sculpture of Giroba is carved from jackfruit wood. Because of this, jackfruit trees receive strict protection in the village, and only one tree is felled each year for the carving of Giroba. In Bandirwada of Asnoda, the jackfruit tree is worshipped as Rashtroli. Several villages, such as Pansuli and Panaswadi, derive their names from the jackfruit tree itself.
More than a tree, the jackfruit has nourished generations, not only with its fruits, but with memories, traditions, and a way of life.
