Caculo Mall, in association with Goencho Festakar, Mr. Marius Fernandes and Gwendolyn de Ornelas organized a two-day zero waste and inclusive Mango Festival on the 29th and 30th of April 2023.

Caculo Mall, in association with Goencho Festakar, Mr. Marius Fernandes and Gwendolyn de Ornelas organized a two-day zero waste and inclusive Mango Festival on the 29th and 30th of April 2023. The festival aimed to celebrate Goan mangoes, traditions, knowledge, and empower marginalized communities.

The Mango Fest hosted an array of local vendors selling distinctive and interesting varieties of mangoes, mango food, plants & saplings, Goan snacks, Goan art, and more. In addition, the festival included workshops on mango grafting, “mollam” making, mango pickle, mango sasanv, and basic candle making with mango fragrance.

Fr Derick Fernandes Parish Priest of Pilerne and Sr Journalist Prakash Kamat spoke on the various fests and goan traditions during bolkaocheo gazali during the fest. Mr Neville Afonso Director – Dept of Agriculture spoke to Gwendolyn de Ornelas on the Past Present & Future of the Goan mangoes and production techniques.
The Mango Fest also featured the presence of Persons with Disability (PwD) who displayed their talents & art works, making the festival special and inclusive. This inclusion was coordinated by Mr. Prakash Kamat, Sr Journalist, and disability activist. A presentation on wheelchair accessible E-richsaw was given by Mr. Taha Haaziq, Secretary Goa State Disability Commission.

Furthermore, an awareness & sensitization session over love & care towards voiceless animals was led by Mr. Albert Fernandes. Konkani global icon award winner, Angelo Fernandes, also performed various Konkani songs at the fest, adding to the vibrant and celebratory atmosphere. Mango flavoured cake was cut in memory of the late great goan artist Vamona Navelkar whose birth anniversary is on the 5th of May.

The Mango Fest was a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of Caculo Mall, showcasing their commitment to promoting local businesses, traditions, knowledge, and inclusion. The festival was a resounding success, and attendees were thrilled to have the opportunity to experience and celebrate Goan mangoes, traditions, and culture.