Bangalore has a groundnut fair Kadlekayi Parishe

A large number farmers in Bangalore congregate at the Basavangudi temple to participate in an annual groundnut fair that is held as a thanksgiving ceremony to Lord Shivas mout Nandi.

By K.G.Vasuki

Bangalore, Dec.5 : A large number farmers in Bangalore congregate at the Basavangudi temple to participate in an annual groundnut fair that is held as a thanksgiving ceremony to Lord Shiva's mout "Nandi".

The three-day fair "Kadlekayi Parishe" (groundnut fair) is actually one of the few remnants of traditional Bangalore, the city that is known mainly for its technological development showcased prominently in the (IT) information technology sector.

It is the most awaited event of traditional Bangaloreans.

This year "Kadlekayi Parishe" started on Monday (December 3rd) at Basavangudi, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva's bull (Nandi) in south Bangalore.

The fair is generally celebrated on the last Monday of Kartik month of Hindu almanac.

"It always begins on Ganesha Somvara (Monday) of the Kartik month. The history behind the fair is that the road, where Bull Temple (Basvangudi) is situated, earlier a bull used to eat all the groundnuts. Somebody jinxed the bull to become stone and since then it turned stoned. And since then this fair begun," said Pampa Acharya, visitor.

Thousands of Bangaloreans made a beeline to this fair to buy and savour varieties of groundnuts ranging from raw, boiled, dried and fried being sold here. Several vendors also make their presence felt during Kadlekai Parishe.

"The little things that are sold here, the small and tiny toys are very attractive. The way they have decorated the gourds is also very nice. I will buy one or two kilograms of ground nuts," said Pratibha, a visitor who has been coming to the fair for several years.

The pavements and all paths leading to the top of the hillock are occupied by farmers and vendors with the heaps of fresh groundnuts.

Legend has it that on every full moon day, a bull used to charge into the agricultural fields in this region and would spoil farmers' yields. Since farmers were clueless about how to stop the aggressive bull, they prayed and pledged to offer their first crop of groundnuts to Nandi.

Their prayers were answered and since then all the farmers with the first yield of groundnuts of the season have been converging at the Bull Temple, the venue of Kadlekayi Parishe on the last Kartik Somvara

ANI