As a treat to food lovers in Nagpur, ‘Maharashtra Food Festival’ presented by Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VEDC) and sponsored by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) was organised in Nagpur recently. This festival in association with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) started on December 6, 2016 and continued till December 11, 2016 at the SCZCC premises.

On December 6, 2016, Minister of Tourism and Employment Guarantee Scheme Jayakumar Rawal inaugurated the festival in the presence of  Minister of State for Tourism – Madan Yerawar, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra – Swadhin Kshatriya, Principal Secretary, Marashtra Tourism – Valsa Nair Singh, Dr KH Govind Raj (MD, MTDC), Swati Kale (GM, MTDC), Hanumant Hede (Regional Manager, MTDC, Nagpur), Dr Piush Kumar (Director, SCZCC) and Devendra Parekh (President, VED Council).

Before the cultural programme began, to mourn the death of the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu – J Jayalalitha – who passed away recently, two minutes of silence was observed by all those who were present. Thereafter, the cultural programme continued even as Nagpur musicians enthralled people present by singing melodious and patriotic songs.

Finger-licking good!

The six-day long Maharastra food festival consisted of authentic Saoji, Varhadi, Khandeshi, Malvani, Marathwada and Konkani veg and non-beg dishes prepared by chefs across the state. While Marathwada and Khandeshi delicacies seemed to be a hit among food lovers, people were also seen forming a beeline at the Malwan and Konkan food stalls for trying out variety of sea food. The Varhadi garvan mutton dishes and garvan chicken dishes were also being relished. Vegetarian dishes like Varhadi fanas masala, Goda bhaat, Mutter kachori, Pudachi vadis, Jilbis were a hit among the veggies.

Such was the response by foodies at the festival that some stalls had to be prepared with multiple batches of the food items as the food items at their counters was sold very quickly. On the basis of feedback received from the visitors, new delicacies like puran polis and shrikhand were introduced in the middle of festival.

Items like pickles, papads, sweets, baked products, packed dry snacks, ice creams, etc., were also available for sale at other stalls at the festival. Tea and coffee prepared at – Chai Zaika – a stall set up by city entrepreneurs Rewa Kheta and Monika Mishra also got a great response from tea and coffee lovers.

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Photos by: Kartik Thakur