Just Walking Around

Exhibitions and knowing your State

The best way to know the intricacies of any State is to understand the festivals it celebrates , the best tourist place it has and the buffet of food it serves . Either you get to travel around any State and to different places within it during your family vacations or when you travel for business purpose. But you can not expect get exposed to all the nuances any village or small town can offer at once in a single trip. The other way is to visit the many Exhibitions or events promoted by state departments to encourage awareness about village handicrafts and their way of life . Such events could be focused on folk music & dances or centered on just the handicrafts or the various food festivals which give a flavor of all the varieties.

One such event that has been exceptionally marketed and well received in the city of Mumbai is the Mahalakshmi Saras , a conglomeration of music , dance and food from different parts of Maharashtra. Every year during January this exhibition cum food festival is held at the Bandra Reclamation Grounds for 10 days in the 2^nd week around 10^th-23^rd Jan every year. Since last year me and my family have become a fan of this event and do make it a point to spend one weekend evening enjoying all it has to offer. Its is one of the more professionally organized events in Mumbai and is an initiative of the Government of Maharashtra to provide a marketing platform to rural entrepreneurs, artisans and women's Self Help Groups, Mahalaxmi Saras is an annual exhibition cum sale of handicrafts, handlooms and food products. In its 14th year now, it is supported by big financial organizations like LIC and NABARD.

The entrance itself has a grand door built like a historical fort with a grand gate or Buland Darwaza. Just as you enter to there are 3 sections . Just next to the entrance is a play area for the kids with small Zorbing floating on a small water pond. A kids bungee jumping and air filled bouncing slides . Near by is an enclosed area where daily some traditional events are organized. Singers singing the valour filled Powada , dancer showcasing Lavni and other traditional / tribal dances. Some evenings they organize Marathi films songs or bhavgeet. Enough seats are provided to the visitors who can sit for a while and enjoy  these shows.

Towards the middle section are stalls showcasing the handicraft and products from interiors of Maharashtra. Around 100 stalls line up from different parts of Maharashtra like Khandesh , Vidharbha, Kolapur , Solhapur , Satara , Nasik , Nagpur ,Khed , Ratnagiri and many more. Special Mahila self help groups also have stalls selling wares made by women. Some stalls bring in farm fresh produces like organic Rice , wheat , jowar , bajra and nachani. Some from Kolhapur put up their fresh jaggery (gul) and the famous Kolhapuri garam masala , mutton / fish masala and who can forget their special jhanjhnit (spicy) missal masala.In other stalls are available the puffed rice and wheat which are used to make evening snack of Bhadang or chiwda. Some other sell assorted papad’s –Rice , Nachani , Garlic and the famous Nagli which when fried can blow up as big as a Roomali roti. Then there are stalls selling hand printed bedsheets , pillow colours and cutain cloths with prints in effervescent and bright colours. Designs of Warli art , flowers and animal prints.People throng to these stalls and purchase them for their beautiful motifs and good quality. There are stalls selling the special sarees like Paithani’s and Brocade Sarees from Yeola near Nashik. Some Original Paithani can  cost around Rs.25,000/- to Rs.50,000/- with bright colours and intricate weaves with golden threads .There were some stalls from Konkan –Ratnagiri selling wooden toys for children like the small musical instruments , miniature bullock carts , wooden polpat-latne (roti maker), unique rattles making tick –tock sounds , miniature vintage car models , some push-pull toys , some manually operator funny toys like chickens feeding on rice grains or the dancing giraffe’s or swinging circus clowns. We picked up some tick –tocks and dancing giraffes for Bhakti.The toys are so beautiful to look at with their smooth design , bright colours and great in functionality. These cute toys can even be kept in your showcases as collector items. Another unique item is the Kambal or the Ghongadi a blanket made from sheep wool . A natural thermal / winter ware which will keep even the freezing cold from Kashmir away.

The other big attraction at Mahalaxmi Saras are the 50 odd food stalls bringing together the cuisine from all over Maharashtra. For the people of Mumbai who miss the real taste of village food come down here to savour the delicacies. The food here is a mix of Warhadi-Khadeshi food from Nagpur and Jalgoan , Dhule or the Spicy Kolhapuri and Sea food from Konkani belt of Ratnagiri , Palghar , Sawantwadi. Stalls are mostly set up by Mahila Seva Gat’s or Womens Self Help groups bringing with them the flavours , spices and the real taste of gramin food. It’s a paradise for non-veg lovers with Chicken dishes available at most stalls. You can try the Kolhapuri tamda rasa – pandhra rasa (local red and white gravy ) chicken eaten with Bhakri made of Tandul (Rice flour) or Jwari (Jowar ). The Bhakri are made roasted on iron tava (pan) and served hot along with the Chicken . The combination is deadly and the taste is mouthwatering. From the Khandeshi cuisine the best dish is the Kala Chicken. Its a very simple cuisine, with Kala Masala ( Black masala, its so called, because the roasted spices and dry coconut , gives it a peculiar deep brown black colour) being predominantly used in most of the rassa or amti’s (gravies). Its got earthy flavours , and a kick of spice, and most importantly, generous amounts of spiced oil or “Tarri” as they call , floating over each gravy. Its a matter of disgrace, if the guests are served curry without a generous tarri floating. Served with mostly Bajari (Finger Millet flour roti) Bhakari or Jwarichi or tandalachi (Jowar or Rice Flour) Bhakari , the curries are mostly runny , unlike thick gravies served in northern India. The runny gravies are easily soaked in the bhakaris , and can also be eaten with steamed rice.

In the stalls from Konkan belt you can enjoy the best sea food be it Fry fish like Surmai , Rawas or Bombil crispy and eaten as starter or with rice. Or you can try the Bhuzane a typical coconut based semi dry gravy of Bombil or Rawas which is lip smacking. For those who don’t want the typical bhakari you can order the crisply done wade which are like puri’s and eat them with Malvani suka Chicken or Chicken Masala or even Mutton masala done to perfection.

For the veggie lover to there are multiple options as starters you can have the Hurdya Che Thalipeeth , this is made from Hurda – fresh green grains of Jowar. This is crisply roasted and a little spicy with green chillies to add that takda. Served with curd or white butter (makhan) and mirchi thercha (spicy chilly mix). If you are game fro fried food you could have the kanda bhajji , moong bhajji or the traditional bata wada. Best eaten with the hot garlic chutney. For a main course you can have the Sev Bhaji made of Sev and tomato in spicy gravy. Another unique dish is Patoda Amti . Patoda Amti is a traditional Maratha Curry, typical to Northern Maharashtra regions of Khandesh and Nashik.The curry is unique due to the neutral tasting Patoda, which is a wadi or a savoury cake made with steamed besan batter which is then compacted on a flat surface, cooled and cut into diamond shape. This is then served in a spicy curry flavoured with kala masala. Patoda Amti tastes best with a hot Bajra Bhakri and raw onions.

And the most famous food item from Kolhapur which has become common in every Marathi household is the Missal. But the Kolhapuri Missal is the best ever in taste and texture with mixed sprouts and farsan making up the spicy dish.Served with the lowly ladi pav . The pav soaking the curry and making a finger licking dish.

But the evening can not be complete unless you have tasted the homemade Puran Poli with the sweet puran stuffed in wheat based roti and roasted on the tawa and served hot with a sprinkling of pure ghee.The puran poli’s larger cousin are the Maande which are maida based and fluffed up to the size of a large roomali roti and roasted on an overturned tawa. Eat them hot and savour the sweet flavor and melt in the mouth delicacy.

So next time you are feeling a little low or are missing your native place, head to The Mahalaxmi Saras the exceptional exhibition cum food bazaar with live kitchen and make the most of it..Enjoy the village like atmosphere and feast on the local delicacies and mostly have fun ….