‘Satvik’ wins their heart

Be it the bakhri no pizza or the findla no sharbat, every delicacy had takers at the IIMA food festival organised by Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI). Some were serving hot and spicy Rajasthani delicacies, while others were busy holding out thalis complete with bajra no rotlo, ringan no ollo and khichu.

For those who preferred herbal juices because of their multiple benefits on human body, there were several varieties of juices up on sale filled with high nutritional value and freshness.

“This food festival has maintained its standards for the past several years. I have been a regular visitor to the fair and enjoy it each time,” says Vashisht Jain, a businessman.

Amdavadis came flocking to on the second day of the three-day food festival which has three separate sections - one dedicated to showcasing rural innovations, the second to sell raw produce and the third, and the most popular, was to introduce the urban populace to different traditional preparations.

Stalls are set up at the fair by various organisations, farmers’ cooperatives and individuals to showcase and sell organic foods like minor millets, organic vegetables and fruits, available at rates of Rs20-40 per kg.

“We have over 65 stalls in the fair this year and all of them are doing brisk business. Every farmer will take home over Rs40,000 at the end of the festival. We believe that poor people are poor financially but their food intake is rich with nutrition whereas rich people of the city follow a very poor diet, lacking all the required vitamins. Through this food festival, we are bridging that gap between the two. By now, we have created enough  awareness about organic food and at present we are looking out for sponsors to set up permanent outlets for organic food in the city,” says Ramesh  Patel, secretary, SRISTI. 

Every stall also has something sweet to offer. Be it the natural ice cream in the drakhsh, lemon, guava and safarjan flavours or the adad ni jalebi, Jhalawadi gulab jamun, khichda- all were available without a hint of sugar but with the same taste. The juices are said to protect from cold, act as a blood purifier and relieve stress along with giving relief to joint pains.

“We are extremely inspired by the fact that people in the city are taking interest not only in the diversity of food, but also suggesting new additions to the fair. We are planning to include traditional art and music of Gujarat in the festival from next year. We are very glad that we have been able to contribute in showcasing the culture of Ahmedabad. The farmers who have set up stalls at the fair have said that they are receiving tremendous response from Amdavadis which is a great sign. In fact, some of the farmers are going to set up a permanent food outlet at Gurukul soon,” says IIMA’s Prof. Anil Gupta.