Mysore/Mysuru: Live events and entertainment is a prominent part of a Mysurean’s social and cultural lifestyle. And this was evident this morning seeing the crowds at the two major exhibitions organised in city — ‘Hunar Haat’ at Maharaja’s College Grounds and the Tuber and Roots Mela at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry. People thronged the two venues, putting behind fears of  COVID-19 contagion. 

Today being a Sunday, residents, accompanied by their families and friends visited the two venues and visited attractions that were put on display. While they were hugely attracted by a variety of roots and tubers including the ‘Naagarakona’, a rare variety of tuber weighing 98 kg and 25 feet tall, the crowd tasted a host of delicacies that were served at ‘Hunar Haat’. 

While the Tuber and Roots Mela will conclude this evening, the Hunar Haat will go on till Feb. 14. Rare roots and tubers like air potato, purple yam, black turmeric, and arrow root seed material will be available for sale at the Tuber Mela. 

Jenu Kuruba, Betta Kuruba, Soliga, Irula, Kunbi tribes are participating in the Tuber Mela along with their rich cultivated and uncultivated biodiversity of tubers. ‘Cooking with Tubers’ , a cooking contest to learn to cook the most healthiest and delicious roots and tubers has also been organised today to introduce its nutritional value to the younger generation who have lost touch with traditional foods and agriculture.

Food a major attraction

People have been pouring in to Maharaja’s College Grounds since last evening. They indulged in purchasing rare and exquisite products that are on display at Hunar Haat. There are over 125 stalls and 100 stalls have been reserved for handicrafts and art artefacts, 25 stalls have been reserved for food items.

At the Hunar Haat, one can relish the best from ‘bawarchikhana’ (kitchen) where master cooks, who have inherited the art of cooking from their older generations, are at work to give you the sizzling kebabs, tandoori chicken, delicious kormas and soft sheermals. 

‘Purani Dillika Mashoor Halwa Parantha’ made from seven items is a major delicacy on offer and yesterday evening alone, the stall made a business of Rs. 6,000. 

It is an amazing gathering of talented artisans/ craftsmen from every corner of the country who have been provided an opportunity to showcase their skills at the national-international level under one roof.

Artefacts made of cane and bamboo (from north-eastern States); cloth and embroidery chikan, brass artefacts, Jardoji clothe work (Uttar Pradesh); collection of pottery (southern States); sandalwood and other wooden artefacts and handicrafts (Bihar-Jharkhand); indigenous goods for domestic use from Bengal-Odisha and herbal products made from aloe vera, neem and tulsi are being showcased at the exhibition.

To satiate the taste buds, different cuisines from 13 States have been brought by culinary experts. They include Awadhi Mughlai foods from Lucknow, idly-vada from Karnataka, dal bati churma and thali from Rajasthan, sandesh and rasogolla from West Bengal, Malabari food from Kerala, litti-chokha of Bihar, puran-poli from Maharashtra, dhokla and jalebi from Gujarat, Kashmiri Wazwan from J&K, bhutte ki khees, sabudana-kheer and khichdi from Madhya Pradesh.

This festival is an effort by the Union Ministry of Minority affairs to showcase India’s unique and dying indigenous art and craft. It is also acting as a platform to empower thousands of poor artists. Every corner of the country is endowed with an amazing diversity of indigenous products made with wood, brass, bamboo, glass, cloth, paper, clay etc. 

Rare and exquisite products made from clay, metals, wood, cane-bamboo, as well as mesmerising pottery work, among other things, has been put up for display and available for sale at the Hunar Haat.