It’s raining groundnuts here

It’s raining groundnuts here

Vijay Times

Come December and Basavanagudi is abuzz with activity. Already a shopper's paradise with the colourful Gandhi Bazar, the Basavanagudi Mela gave people another reason to splurge. Here's yet another event that has got everyone talking.

The annual 'Kadalekai Parishe' was off to a colourful start on Monday at Basavanagudi's Dodda Ganapathi Temple on Bull Temple Road.

The City welcomes any event, fair or exhibition with full enthusiasm and the Kadalekai Parshe - groundnut fair - is no exception.

Legend has it that the place where the fair is held every year, Sunkenahalli, was famous for growing groundnuts. However, the crop was destroyed by a bull every year before reaping. The villagers were unaware that the bull belonged to Lord Shiva and pelted it with stones. When they realised their mistake, they began dedicating the first crop of groundnut to the divine bull and the custom continues.

Unlike most fairs which are named after gods and goddesses, this one is named after the humble 'Kadalekai'. Celebrated on the last Monday of the 'Karthika Maasa', the fair sees the participation of groundnut vendors from all over Karnataka and a few from neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Contrary to popular belief, a fair involving groundnuts has attracted the GenNext crowd in large numbers. Shilpa, a student of BMS College seemed to be enjoying herself here. “Such fairs are a welcome relief from the mundane goings-on of our lives. This reminds us of our culture and of traditional food items,” she said. It is nice to gorge on some healthy groundnuts and corn after the usual pizzas, sandwiches and burgers, she added.

Apart from groundnuts, traditional and stuffed dolls, flowers, artificial jewellery and cotton bags are also on sale here.

The traffic police have their hands full in managing the crowds on this already busy thoroughfare. Yathiraj G R, traffic inspector of Basavanagudi station said,“We have deputed nearly 30 policemen in this area to control the crowds and traffic. We have also made the stretch from BMS Engineering College to Ramakrishna Ashrama a ‘no entry zone’ between 3 pm and 9 pm in order to avoid any mishaps.”