Bhimthadi Jatra 2014 Update

Read about my visit – http://bit.ly/1wiZlL9

How to Get there:

 

I have wanted to visit the Bhimthadi Jatra for the longest time. Every year, we decide to visit and something else comes up. This year, the Bhimthadi Jatra boasted a new, larger location and I was determined. Sunday morning dawned bright and I set off with a few wads of cash and an empty belly.

The Bhimthadi Jatra is an annual crafts fair held every year in Pune to showcase handlooms, handicrafts, food items and authentic Maharashtrian food made by several women based organizations across the state. These are known as Mahila Bachat Gat or Women Groups. The Bhimthadi mission is to empower women, educate and train them to be entrepreneurs and provide them a lucrative platform. Let us move on to the actual action on site.

The Bhimthadi Jatra was set up in Range Hills this year, and the best part of it was ample parking right outside the entrance. There was a dirt track leading up to the ticketing booth. Colorful bullock carts were available to offer fun rides to people. A great beginning to the whole back to the roots or rural experience! While I have heard of bullock cart rides from my parents and grandparents – similar to hay rides in wagons, except these carts are made of wood and pulled by real life bulls –most city folks find this a novel experience.

On entering, there were a series of stages set up in the center under huge tents or awnings. Several interesting folk arts were showcased here in the form of dances, plays, Malkhamb (Indian form of acrobatics) etc. The left hand side was devoted to stalls selling stuff and the right hand side was entirely devoted to fresh food.

We spent some time watching the different shows and then headed off to do some retail therapy.

The different stalls could broadly be classified into those selling some sort of handicrafts, clothes or food. There was the hand woven Tusser silk from Bhandara in Vidarbha, Paithani sarees from Yeola, handmade quilts, paper lamps, baskets and pen holders made by disabled kids, jewellery, wooden carvings and a host of other things from different parts of the state and country.

Foodstuffs varied from ready to eat material to powdered wheatgrass, Kolhapuri Kanda Lasun or onion garlic masala, Peanut chutney from Sholapur, pickles, papads made of jowar and millet, handmade Sevai or semiya (vermicelli), jams, sauces, nuts – a whole array of epicurean delights that made my eyes rove and mouth water. Being let loose among exotic spices, thinking of their possibilities is heaven for a foodie like me. Most of the time, I was chattering about the different recipes I could think of.

I ended up with some air dried organic cashews and a mango chili jam from Konkan, peanut chutney from Sholapur, golden sultanas from Tasgaon, seedless raisins (really hard to find) and a surprise – lemon grass powder! It was a great experience chatting up people from different parts of the country – the rightly proud lady explaining how her disabled children meticulously made the art pieces, the folks from out of town selling different spices, the smooth talking lady from Ashtavinayak Farms – each added something different to the whole experience.

After depleting all my cash resources, it was time to eat. Two different sections were marked off for vegetarian and non vegetarian food. Cross contamination is taken seriously in India because most people are vegetarian on account of religious preferences. A cold and refreshing sol kadhi offered some respite from the heat. Crisp fried Onion Pakoras, locally known as ‘khekda bhaji’ were the right appetizer. There were different coal and wood fires everywhere, and the ladies were roasting up bread or bhakri made from ragi or millet flour. This bread was served up with bharli vangi or stuffed eggplants, pithla or Matki Usal. The food was extremely hot and spicy, yet it was served with coarsely ground green chilies, and pickles. Dessert was a form of puran poli called Sholapuri Mande. These were large round rotis stuffed with a sweet chickpea mixture, roasted on an upturned earthen pot. They were very thin like rumali roti. Mixed Dal Vadas and Appes were also available at some stalls.

We returned with a heavy heart, and a touch of sunburn. A note to self for next time – wear a wide brimmed hat or carry an umbrella because the sun shows mercy to none. I won’t tell myself to carry more cash because one can spend a fortune at the hundred plus stalls and still need more.

My only regret on visiting the Bhimthadi Jatra was that I missed going to the annual flower show which was on the same day, another Pune event that has been on my calendar for a while.