The story of Jaffna’s Nelli crush and more …

BY Shirley , W. Somanader-June 24, 2020, 8:06 pm

The Nelli fruit is one of the riches sources of Vitamin C among the tropical fruits. Phyllanthus Emblica, known as the Indian Gooseberry in English and Nelli in Tamil and Sinhala, is a small-to-medium-sized tree, reaching eight to 18 m in height which naturally grows in tropical Asian countries. The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish yellow, quite smooth.

The tree is easy to grow - fire resistant, free of pests and diseases and needs little care. The fruits of the Nelli tree come into bearing in Sri Lanka from December to March. The taste of the Indian gooseberry is sour, bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.

The Nelli tree is considered to be a very sacred tree in Sri Lanka, particularly among the rural people. The tree is considered to wash away the sins of the people. Planting a Nelli tree is considered a sign of spirituality.

Rev. Fr B. A. Thomas, the originator of Nelli Crush

No wonder, then , Rev. Fr. B. A. Thomas, OMI, an outstanding priest from Jaffna, the first to establish a native religious order, was attracted to make an industry of growing Nelli trees. It was in 1930 that Fr. Thomas decided to try his hand at making Nelli crush. He had mastered and perfected the recipe.

Life Story of a Brilliant Innovator and Organiser of Men, Fr B. A. Thomas

Bastiampillai Anthony was born on March 7, 1886, in Atchuvely, Jaffna. His father was a building contractor. It is said that shortly after birth, the infant was taken ill and many thought he would die. Yet the grace of God was already on young Anthony. He began his schooling at St. Charles School and later at St. Patrick’s College, one of the premier boys’ schools in Jaffna.

One of the foreign clergymen at the school, Rev. Fr. Maingot, had a huge influence on Anthony. After completing his education, Bastiampillai Anthony passed the Government Clerical Service Exam. However, he decided to serve God and joined St. Martin’s Seminary in 1904. He was often afflicted with illness, but remained faithful to his calling. He then joined St. Bernard’s Seminary in Borella, Colombo. He was subsequently ordained as a priest in April, 1912, at the Jaffna Cathedral.

In 1926, Pope Pius XI made a request to establish Contemplative Orders in all the mission regions. Bishop Guyumor knew that the best priest for the task in Ceylon was Fr. B.A. Thomas. The request of the Vatican was made known and Rev. Fr. Thomas accepted this challenge with humility and faith

An abandoned presbytery at Tholagatty, a village adjacent to Palaly, Jaffna, was allocated to him. All around were palmyrah trees, scattered in clusters in the rich red soil of the Vasavilan area.

After three months of prayer, Rev. Fr. Thomas along with six young men established the Rosarian Congregation on February 2, 1928. The Brothers lived a simple life, with a vegetarian diet.

From this small monastery, in Jaffna, by divine providence, he established three monasteries in India, in the regions of Tuticorin, Tiruchirapalli (both in South India) and Ambikapur (in North India). The lifestyle of unity and faith spread and requests were made to begin an order for women. In 1948, the Contemplative Rosarian Sisters was established in Vasavilan, Jaffna.

I wonder, why the people of Jaffna have not honoured this outstanding priest, innovator and organiser of men, while giving much prominence to some others who were far less constructive and positive in their contribution.

The Process of making Nelli Crush

Decades ago, the green gardens of Tholagatty were full of Nelli trees. Today Nelli fruit is also collected from other places to supplement the demand.

The entire process is done by hand. The Nelli is harvested and stored for a few weeks. The season for the best yield is in February and March. Each tree can give up to 20 sacks of Nelli. The Nelli is boiled in a large iron cauldron After cooling, the Nelli juice is collected in barrels and fermented for three months. Liquid glucose is added to enrich its flavour.

Since 1930, this humble drink has come to be part of the symbolic identity of Jaffna, due one man - the famed Catholic priest Fr Thomas.