Panaji: As Ganesh Chaturthi approaches, Goa’s festive shopping scene is beginning to gather momentum, but not everyone is looking for the familiar boxes of sweets and traditional return gifts.For Neha Dev, a resident of Socorro, going to the crowded Ashtami Fair in Panaji can mean heavy traffic, crowds and scarce parking.“At a street fair, it can be difficult to have a one-on-one conversation with vendors or understand the story behind a product. At a smaller event, however, shoppers can sit down with a local artist, speak directly to its makers and get a better sense of what goes into what they are buying,” she said.For independent creators, that personal connection can be as valuable as the sale itself.Devasthi Shurakar, owner of The Pasta Collective, says that during Shravan, she has received requests for eggless pasta.“Traditional pasta often uses eggs as a binder, but pasta made with durum wheat — including semolina, suji or rava — can instead be brought together with warm water,” she said.Sparsha Deshpande, sells a festive selection of decor and other items that can be brought together into customised hampers. For Ganesh Chaturthi, Deshpande sees an opportunity to move beyond conventional return gifts by combining useful and aesthetic products into thoughtfully assembled hampers.“Giving shoppers access to handmade, sustainable and locally relevant products while creating a platform for small businesses and independent makers is the need of the hour. Instead of simply bringing together a large number of sellers, the focus should be on creating a community around local art, Goan craftsmanship and sustainable shopping,” she said.For Heena Shah, among her offerings are handmade crochet items that can be placed near a Ganesh idol or used as part of festive decor, yet every item has its own story. “At a crowded street fair, the sheer volume of people can make such exchanges difficult. At a smaller gathering, shoppers can pause, ask questions and hear directly from the person behind the product,” she said.Artist Vaibhav Salgaonkar has increasingly looked towards local culture for inspiration. One of his popular designs is a Goan Shravan thali which features a colourful spread of patoleo, mirchi, puri, cabbage bhaji, khatkhatem, manganem, etc.“Rather than another box of neoreo or laddu that will eventually be consumed, a Goa-themed object can become a keepsake that can remain in a home and potentially be passed down to younger generations,” he said.
