Bengaluru is
a city that will drive you nuts; if you are not from Bengaluru it’s difficult
what you will associate with. But for a Bengalurean it’s all about everything,
and one of those many things is the famous Kadalekai Parishe (Groundnut Fair)
on Bull Temple Road.
Call it the demonetization
effect the business looked dull and the heaps of groundnuts were less, but there
was still a lot of glee and the touch of tradition attached to it. Puffed rice
to beaten rice the vendors complained about less rains and note ban impacting
their business and still hoped they will make their buck in 2-3 days of the
fair.
Groundnut varieties
from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh made way to the Kadalekai Parishe,
roasted option was selling much faster as it was munching ready. Fruit Bowls,
Pani Puri, Masala Papad, Sugar Cane, Boiled Corn, Sliced raw Mangoes, Cucumber and
many more were lined up, but the Bombe Mittai and Cotton Candy seemed like hot
pick as it brought back childhood memories for many, the parents were eagerly
explaining the much amused children their favorites during their childhood.
What was the
glaring and not palatable was the usage of plastic bags, as vendors packed
groundnuts in the plastic bags the buyers seemed less concerned. An event like
this brings in thousands of people from all over the city, a little effort from
BBMP and local elected representatives to create awareness about plastic ban
and to make Kadalekai Parishe eco-friendly would have gone a long way making it
truly a great event.
Nevertheless,
as evening passed the streets were filled with people, the main street and the
cross roads turned colorful, with lights, noise and music. With people, food,
toys, paintings, balloons, handicrafts and lots of groundnuts I lost track of time
too.
Few hours
and lots to capture through the lens, a fair like this needs more attention, it’s
our heritage, our tradition, uniqueness of our city that needs to be
celebrated, sadly very little has been done to showcase this event to the rest
of the world. We boast of being ‘One
State many Worlds’, but we do very little justice to that ‘many’.
Its time
Cultural and Tourism department promotes Kadalekai
Parishe as an event of the city that can give an opportunity to visitors to
experience a different side of Bengaluru.
