Crowds hog on gastronomic delights and finger-licking-good desi delicacies while theatre buffs line up before auditoriums

Mysuru: Like in pre-COVID years, this year too, Rangayana’s Bahuroopi has proved itself to be the biggest theatre festival in Mysuru, drawing not only theatre enthusiasts but also students and the general public.

While there is a huge demand for tickets to select plays, people are also thronging the other attractions like handicraft exhibitions, books and artefacts and of course, the food stalls.

If mornings and afternoons inside the vast Rangayana-Kalamandira campus are empty with only a handful of artistes, stall owners and others preparing to welcome the crowds in the evenings, it is a literal village fair atmosphere after 4 pm and by 6 pm, every inch of Rangayana is crowded and aroma of delicacies permeates the air, increasing the hunger pangs.

Brightly dressed art and theatre-lovers, college students, youths and the womenfolk dominate the walkways, stone benches, steps and corridors taking a look at various attractions lined up as part of the theatre festival.

As soon as the ticket counters are open, long queues are seen in front of them and as the auditoriums cannot accommodate more than capacity crowds, many proceed towards the other attractions. Only a handful of tickets are sold at the venue as most of them are booked online.

Cloth bags are the main attraction here and the stall offers a wide variety of them for reasonable prices. Thanks to a plastic ban in Mysuru, people are buying bags of various sizes to suit their needs to go to the market to buy household items. There are over 30 stalls selling handicrafts and clothes.

Likewise, there is a considerable crowd always in front of the bookstalls where literature on drama and theatre are being sold. A wide array of exhibits that include handlooms, handicrafts and eco-friendly products are displayed at various stalls.

Gastronomic journey

One aspect of Bahuroopi that gathers a lot of public attention every year is the wide range of food stalls. Right from 11.30 am, the food stalls are open and all of them get crowded by the evening. So much so that even large quantities of delicacies are polished off in no time by the crowd who go to the wash area licking their fingers.

The lip-smacking menu includes specialities like Jolada Rotti, Ennegai, Chutney, Mandakki and Mirchi Bajji. Notably, the delicacies from the North Karnataka region are in great demand. Despite the sweltering heat, people prefer the hot and spicy Mandakki and Mirchi Bajji.

The Jolada Rotti and Ennegai is served along with various chutneys like Shenga chutney, Uchchellu chutney and Agasi chutney. Likewise, Bagalkot specialities like Akki Rotti, Ragi Roti and Avarekalu chutney, Girmit, Holige, Vada, Dharwad Peda, Karadantu, Belagavi Kunda, Malnad Honey Jalebi are a big draw.

Mysore-style churumuri

Taking on the competition offered by North Karnataka delicacies is Mysore-style churumuri. The churumuri-making process is a sure salivating experience — starting from the pouring of puffed rice and tasty masalas to a steel vessel and mixing them with more spices and sweet.

If one likes sweetish or spicy, the churumuri is made as per the desired taste. But the best is original taste, a mixture of sweet, salt and sour, with small pieces of raw mango and banana stem.

Malnad Todadevu

A special mention has to be made here about Todadevu. It is a Malnad speciality where locally-grown rice is ground and mixed with sugarcane juice and a bit of jaggery to make a watery concoction.

This is spread on an upturned earthen pot, placed on a wood-fired stove. Less than a minute later, the crisp brown crepe is folded to form a triangle of intense sweetness. It is usually eaten plain or with ghee and milk. Halubai, a sweet dish made of millets, too is pulling crowds.

Interestingly, none of the stalls sells fast food and all of them prepare and market exclusive and healthy desi dishes. Artist Akshatha Pandavapura has opened a stall that sells Ragi Majige, Huruli Soup, soft Ragi Mudde and Uppsaru. This stall opened on a Gandhian theme is quite popular as there are many takers for the delicacies dished out from the counter.

Other popular dishes that are quite in demand and often savoured by the crowd are Mangaluru Buns, Datta Special Churumuri, Raja Special, Melukote Puliyogare, Davanagere Benne Dose, Neer Dose, sugarcane juice, Kotte Idli, and Mangaluru Bajji.