Loutolim in South Goa has taken an incredible initiative of promoting one of Goa’s traditional games amidst youngsters. This activity consists of two participants where one of the participants strikes a coconut held in the other's hands with another coconut which serves as the tool. The individual who successfully breaks the coconut is declared the winner. This game is traditionally played during Nariyal/Narali Purnima, a festival observed by Hindu fishing communities along the Konkan coastline. In Goa and the surrounding Konkan area, Narali Purnima is referred to as 'Sutachi Punav'. The celebration is held with the hope that the future will be abundant with happiness, joy, and prosperity, under the blessings of Lord Shiva and God Varuna.
The expansion of Christianity in Salcéte prompted a significant increase in construction activities. The initial parish church in Loutolim was established in Karvoddem by the Jesuits in 1581, dedicated to St Bartholomew, the Apostle. As the Catholic population continued to grow, the existing church proved insufficient, necessitating the construction of a new church at Tolleaband. However, the villagers of Loutolim, angered by the behavior of D Diego do Rodrigues, the Captain of Rachol Fort, towards the Hindu gãonkars, resorted to demolishing any structures erected during the day, under the cover of night. Consequently, the Jesuits abandoned this project. A large cross now stands at Tolleaband to commemorate this location, while a stone slab marks the site of the original church at Karvoddem.
The Jesuits subsequently relocated to the current site of the Church. However, they encountered significant difficulties due to an overwhelming presence of ants, which rendered construction nearly impossible. At this point, the Jesuit priest overseeing the project raised a picture of Christ the Saviour of the World at the location. According to tradition, the ants vanished shortly thereafter. As a result of this miraculous event, St Bartholomew was replaced, allowing Christ the Saviour of the World to become the new patron of the Church in Loutulim. The construction of this new Church was completed in 1586, and in 1587, Fr Francisco Aloisio SJ was appointed as its first parish priest.
It is noteworthy that every year, the church celebrates its new harvest on the feast day of its earlier patron that is St Bartholomew. On this day, the season’s new crop is blessed. The socio-cultural club of Loutolim has been playing a significant role in trying to upkeep the traditional sport of Coconut breaking in the village of Loutolim. This game is also played in multiple other areas across the state. Other places which play the game include Calangute, Goa Velha, Carambolim, Vasco, and Cortalim. Xavier Fernandes, a resident of Loutolim mentions, ‘The Socio-Cultural Club of Loutolim has been instrumental in organizing the All Goa Coconut breaking contest in Loutolim since about 25 years on the day of their harvest feast i.e August 24’. People from all around Goa travel to Loutolim so as to participate in this fun filled event. It has been a tradition that, on the day of the event, ‘Patolleos’ have been prepared and distributed among all those gathered there and also to the village old age home and Shanti Avedna Ashram. There have been absolutely no changes in the manner of celebration since the last 25 years,” he says.
Further he mentions that the coconut breaking game, in Loutolim is played in two ways. The first method involves one person holding a coconut in his hand and the other person holding another coconut which he hits onto the coconut held by the first person. The person who ends up breaking his coconut, looses the game. This is a one-to-one game where the loser pays the winner a pre-promised amount of cash. The second method involves two individuals standing on opposite sides of a pitch. One throws a coconut toward the other. As the rolling coconut approaches the opponent, he aims his coconut at the arriving coconut, trying to break it. Each player has five coconuts. Whoever ends up breaking all his coconuts first, is the loser.
Xavier urges youngsters to engage in these kinds of competitions, thus carrying traditional games like this one into the generations to come. All players get the coconuts from their homes. The coconuts brought need to be of a particular size, which is determined using an iron ring. Only coconuts which do not pass through the ring are allegeable to be used by the contestants. “I have been attending this event in Loutolim since the last 20 years, and have been the winner for the past nine consecutive years,” says enthusiastic Pascoal de Calangute, who travels all the way from Calangute every year to be part of this event. This year, there was participation from Calangute, Goa Velha, Verna, Cortalim and Loutolim. “Though the heavy downpour resulted in a bit of inconvenience, it didn’t bring down our zeal and enthusiasm to play the game in any way,” admits Pascoal.
In many parishes on their feast days, traditional games were once being played during the evening of their feast. However, today most of the parishes organize larger sports and cultural events, in the bargain losing the essence of tradition. “In my ward, i.e. Marlem in Borda, annually on the day of the feast of St Joaquim, boys would come out to play a game called ‘Mittanni’ at 2 pm after lunch. Somewhere about at the same time outside the chapel, there was another interesting game being played, where blindfolded men had to break open a de-husked coconut, using a solid bamboo. Each player had three chances,” recalls Florina Almeida from Borda. Sadly, these traditional games are no longer played. Today, a sports event is held on a larger scale on the Multipurpose ground at 3 pm.