Clams, community and celebration in Goa’s Nerul

A time-honoured tradition that celebrates the bounty of ‘tisreos’ (clams) and abundance of nature
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Villagers of Nerul celebrate a unique festival called 'Tisreachem Fest' or 'Feast of Clams'.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Villagers of Nerul celebrate a unique festival called 'Tisreachem Fest' or 'Feast of Clams'. Photo: Rohan Fernandes
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The second Sunday of May in Bhatti Ward, Nerul, North Goa, unfolds a bit differently. While the usual Sunday chaos reigns in homes, a curious sight disrupts the routine.

Local women can be seen emerging from their houses clutching an 'adoli', the traditional tool used for scraping fish. This unusual scene piques your curiosity, drawing you to follow their path. Their hurried steps lead you to a single destination – a house where you see several other women seated in the courtyard, cleaning clams.

DELICIOUS PROMISE: You can find women coming together to prepare 'tisreo' dishes for the evening feast.
DELICIOUS PROMISE: You can find women coming together to prepare 'tisreo' dishes for the evening feast. Photo: Rohan Fernandes

This cleaning is for the feast, celebrated later in the evening, which the locals call 'Tisreachem Fest' or 'Feast of Clams'. It's a cherished tradition that binds the villagers of Nerul together. "What makes this celebration unique is its community spirit," says Philip Dsouza of Bhatti, Nerul, whose family was chosen to celebrate the feast of 'tisreo' this year.

"Members from every house in Bhatti village come to participate in the preparations. Even those having strained relationships with their neighbours come together in the morning to help out," he adds.

CLEANING TO COOKING: Before cleaning and opening, the clams are thoroughly washed.
CLEANING TO COOKING: Before cleaning and opening, the clams are thoroughly washed.Photo: Venita Gomes
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Villagers of Nerul celebrate a unique festival called 'Tisreachem Fest' or 'Feast of Clams'.
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For the residents of Bhatti Ward, this feast acts as a reunion. "Everyone who has moved away to Bombay, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, etc, comes back to the village for this feast," Dsouza adds. The main celebrants of the feast this year were the young sons of the Dsouza family – namely Kegan, Kayden, Jason and Sanroy Dsouza – some of whom came especially from Bombay to be part of the feast.

The scene at the celebrant's house is a happy one. Women seated in the courtyard chat, laugh and clean clams together. This gathering serves as a cherished time for them to bond with neighbours and family. The excitement and enthusiasm are palpable, with everyone eager to help and contribute without hesitation.

OPENING OF THE CLAMS: With the help of 'adoli', which is a traditional tool for cleaning fish, the clams are opened and the flesh is extricated.
OPENING OF THE CLAMS: With the help of 'adoli', which is a traditional tool for cleaning fish, the clams are opened and the flesh is extricated. Photo: Rohan Fernandes
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Villagers of Nerul celebrate a unique festival called 'Tisreachem Fest' or 'Feast of Clams'.
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Now, you would ask, why clams? Well, Fr Apolinario Cardozo SJ writes in his book, When Goa Celebrates, that Nerul was known for its abundance of clams. As a thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest, they celebrate this tradition.

The book also mentions that most villagers would spend their summers harvesting clams, and that's where the tradition became integrated into the people's lifestyle.

DEVOTION: In the evening, people gather at the chapel of St Anthony in Bhatti ward for the litany.
DEVOTION: In the evening, people gather at the chapel of St Anthony in Bhatti ward for the litany. Photo: Venita Gomes

The feast day is a flurry of activity. Over 20 baskets of clams are brought, and the women work through the morning, some cleaning and opening the clams, others chopping onions, tomatoes and chilies.

The men can be seen seamlessly handling logistics, assisting the women with the clams and tending to their needs. They also turn their attention to decorating the chapel of St Anthony, where the evening litany will be held.

STILL STRONG: A senior most lady of the village instructs villagers on how to prepare the 'tisreos'.
STILL STRONG: A senior most lady of the village instructs villagers on how to prepare the 'tisreos'.Photo: Rohan Fernandes
WHETTING APPETITE: Both old and the young join in to prepare the 'tisreos' which is made into tonak .
WHETTING APPETITE: Both old and the young join in to prepare the 'tisreos' which is made into tonak . Photo: Rohan Fernandes

Once the cleaning and cutting is completed, the senior lady among them, Dinizina Vaz, whose family holds the secret recipe to the preparation of 'tonak' or 'xacuti' of clams, instructs the other women, or 'randpinn' (lady cooks), on the traditional preparation method. "My family has been doing this for many years," she says, "and we want to keep the tradition alive."

Once the preparations are completed, in the evening around 8 pm the villagers gather at the chapel, which is well-lit and beautifully decorated. The ladainh (litany) is held, joined in by all the people, with members of other faiths participating as well. "The unity and tradition that are kept alive, even with changing times, are what make this feast worth attending every year," says a local resident.

YUMMY AND TASTY: The 'tisreo,' preparation infused with local flavors is now ready to be served.
YUMMY AND TASTY: The 'tisreo,' preparation infused with local flavors is now ready to be served. Photo: Rohan Fernandes

Though the Meteorological Department in Goa had issued a yellow weather warning for May 12, 2024, and it rained during the service, the villagers went ahead with their celebration and could be seen enjoying the 'tisreo' preparation.

People raised a toast with a sip of wine, savouring the traditional preparation and promised to carry forth the tradition of the Tisreachem Fest and continue to bind the community.

CLAMS & CELEBRATION: The locals make a point to attend the feast every year, no matter the distance, as it is a cherished tradition.
CLAMS & CELEBRATION: The locals make a point to attend the feast every year, no matter the distance, as it is a cherished tradition.Photo: Rohan Fernandes

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