Multiple cuisines under one roof
Mysuru: Food lovers thronged the Maharaja’s College Grounds from morning to sample a variety of dishes at the Dasara Aahara Mela, even before its official inauguration in the evening.
Visitors made a beeline for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food stalls, while chaats were also in high demand. Vendors had set up their stalls early and business was brisk on the first day.
In previous years, the mela was inaugurated in the morning. This time, the inauguration was scheduled for the evening. Unlike earlier years, when disputes over stall allotment and delays had led to complaints from vendors, there were no such issues this time.
The mela, which will continue until Oct. 25, has 140 stalls, including 39 special food stalls.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad symbolically inaugurated the mela by flipping and serving hot dosas. He said, the Mysuru Dasara belonged to everyone and was celebrated without distinctions of caste, religion or community.
Focus on cleanliness and quality
The Minister stressed the need to give top priority to cleanliness and food quality, directing officials to ensure safe drinking water, quality ingredients, hygienic cooking spaces and the use of gloves by staff handling food.
He said, organisers and officials must take responsibility for maintaining hygiene during food preparation and distribution so that visitors could enjoy safe and wholesome meals.
He also stressed that food quality and drinking water standards must be maintained throughout the mela.
Noting the diversity of food habits across the State, Arshad said that tastes and cuisines change every 50-km, citing the differences between Mysuru, the coastal belt and Uttara Kannada. The mela’s appeal lay in bringing different varieties of food under one roof, he said.
Calling it a privilege to inaugurate the event, Arshad said, “I am a son of Mysuru and serving the people here is a great opportunity. Dasara is not confined to any caste or religion. It is a festival where all communities celebrate together,” he noted.
Dosas, chaats, matka biryani… A treat for every palate
The Aahara Mela offers food lovers a wide choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies.
Vegetarian fare includes pudi benne dosa, special Melukote puliyogare, chibbalu idli, Davanagere benne dosa, hot holige, jowar rotti with ennegayi palya, Uttara Kannada-style jowar rotti, Dharwad peda, girmit, antina unde, mushroom donne biryani, Mysuru masala dosa, sweet pongal and khara pongal.
Non-vegetarian options include tribal-style bamboo biryani, Hosakote dum biryani, Mysuru’s Hanumanthu biryani, Dindigul biryani, chicken and mutton biryani, Madurai parotta and clay-pot (matka) biryani.
The Matsyadarshini stall of the Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation is offering a variety of fish dishes. Combo meals priced at Rs. 99, Rs. 120, Rs. 220 and Rs. 300 have emerged as a popular choice among visitors.
Security and facilities
With large crowds expected, metal detectors and security screening equipment have been installed at the entry points. CCTV cameras cover the grounds to monitor movement.
Bottled water is available for purchase at the stalls, while the Committee has arranged large water tankers with ladles to provide free drinking water. Separate facilities have also been provided for washing hands.
The Committee has instructed vendors to maintain cleanliness. Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) officials have issued notices directing stall owners to segregate wet and dry waste.
The Mysuru City Corporation has also distributed two large bins, red and green, at the venue for waste segregation.
This post was published on October 12, 2026 7:30 pm