Mysuru/Mysore: Over 60 handicrafts and book stalls have been set up at Rangayana premises, the venue of Bahuroopi National Theatre Fest. Art Studio Image 2U counter is showcasing a large collection of canvas paintings including Swami Vivekananda, Dr. Shivakumara Swamiji and others. 

Desi Mysuru stall has handloom and Ilkal sarees along with other related desi wardrobe essentials. Another stall called Arogya Butti is selling herbs and spices such as Mahaghana Vati, raktachandana, turmeric and other herbal items. Organic millets, natural food products, herbal medicines and products are also being sold in other stalls.

Books about Gandhi and related topics are beings sold in Gandhi Smaraka Malige. Siddavanahalli Krishna Sharma’s ‘Gandhi mattu Karnataka’, B.R. Manjunath’s ‘Gaalige Sikka Taragele’, Dhirendra Majumdar’s ‘Nayee Talim’, K.N. Narayanaswamy’s ‘Gandhi Margi’, ‘Namma Gandhi Thaata’ and others are available. Sapna Book House stall is selling thousands of books including Vasudendra’s ‘Tejo Tungabhadra’, K.N. Ganeshaiah’s ‘Sasyasagga’, N.S. Anantharaman ‘Purana Mahabharat’, T.N. Vasudevamurthy’s ‘Sivana Elu Rahasyagalu’ and others.

Desi gastronomic delight: Todedevu, Kaayigarige, Kayi Malaka

Mouth-watering unique Desi recipes are special feature. Tasty, but little known recipes from Malnad region such as Todedevu, Kaayigarige, Kayi Malaka and others are new delicacies being introduced for the first time this year here.

Shantala Hegde of Padigeri village, Uttara Kannada district has set up a food stall where one can learn the art of making Todedevu, a sweet preserve prepared in a traditional manner. Preparing this delicacy needs little patience and experience. 

To prepare this, thin batter prepared out of soaked and ground rice, mixed with sugar cane juice, will be smeared onto an inverted surface of hot mud pot. This yummy Todedevu dish looks almost like a thin dosa or a rumaali roti, but tastes heavenly with ghee and is unique. Shantala Hegde says one can preserve Todedevu up to six months and each costs Rs. 25.

Other recipes such as Kaayigarike prepared using rice flour, urad dal and spices and few other food items are attracting large number of food lovers.  Akshata of Pandavapura taluk, a theatre artiste herself, has a Vegetarian Desi Food Stall. The menu here reminds a typical village style full meal, especially of Mysuru-Mandya-Hassan region. Ragi mudde with side dishes, rice made out of ‘Jaya’ variety of paddy along with payasam and vade are available.

Food lovers are also visiting and relishing other regional recipes of Karnataka. Hot Spicy stall from Hubballi is presenting jolada rotti with yennegai, mirchi and Girmit. Sri Annapurneshwari mess, Melukote serves puliogare, sakkare pongal and other foods. Udupi recipes such as goli baje, kotte kadubu, puttur vada, varities of halubayi made from rice, wheat, millets, Dharwad Pedha, Belgaum Kunda, Gokak Karadantu, Savanur Khara in Dharwad Life Bazar stall are other attractions.

Nature-friendly: Clay wares

Kumbha Kale Pottery Point has a stall selling and exhibiting a large collection of terracotta and clay products such as biodigester to convert waste into organic manure, mobile speaker and other clay utensils including dosa tawa, idli cooker, water bottles and others. 

“People, especially children are visiting our stall to learn and know more about the art of making clay pots here,” says Vasudevamurthy, the proprietor of the stall.

Saying it with dolls: Togalu Gombeyaata

Sri Ramanjaneya Togalu Gombe Mela Trust, Ballari, narrated Mahatma Gandhi’s life with leather puppets on the screen at Kindarijogi premises. One-hour puppet show, directed by Belagal Veeranna, has already been screened in different parts of the country and abroad with over 11,000 shows till date. Later, South Zone Cultural Centre, Tanjavoor presented folk dance much to the delight of the audience.

Kodavas dressed in their traditional attires added charm to the events. Spinning wheel and manual handloom weaving (Charakha and Kaimagga) is one more attraction.