Groundnut fair teems with curious customers, eager vendors

The aroma of boiled groundnuts, heaps of roasted and raw variety, and enthusiastic vendors trying to sell their wares. This was the scene on Bull Temple Road in the City as the historic Kadalekayi Parishe began on Monday.

Drawing vendors and customers from various places, the three-day annual Parishe has a wide collection of the produce for sale. Vendors on both sides of the road, who come from faraway places, sell peanuts on the last Monday of the month of Karthika as per the Hindu calendar.

This time around, even on a weekday, a large number of people made it to the annual fair. Even as customers were a happy lot, the vendors were dissatisfied. With the produce coming to the market in large quantities, the prices of the crop have fallen.

Kailasam, a vendor from Dharmapuri, said business was not all that great. “Last year, the price of raw variety was Rs 30. This time, it has come down to Rs 20. The crop was grown in large quantities this time across the State, as a result of which the prices have gone down,” he said.

Besides, he said, the number of customers on the first day of the Parishe was comparatively lesser than the previous year.

“We have been participating in the event for 12 years now. This time, there are fewer people compared with last year,” Kailasam said.

While many were seen carrying groundnuts in large quantities, others were just there to get the feel of the fair. “People have been coming. They eagerly enquire about the variety of groundnut and the price. They only click photographs and head back. There have been more onlookers this time who have come here to witness the Parishe,” said Marappa, a vendor from Mandya.

Apart from groundnut, the fair had much more to offer to visitors. Accessories, puffed rice, sweetmeat, amla, tamarind and corn were also on sale.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar, Mayor N Shantakumari, former mayor Katte Sathyanaraya were present at the inaugural event.

Vendors pocket cloth bags

Even as cloth bags were distributed free of cost to vendors by voluntary groups, most were seen pocketing it and offering groundnuts in plastic bags to customers.

Rajamma, a senior resident of the City, recalled from her past memories about the mela.

“The area was not well developed and had a lot of greenery those days. Even till a decade ago, the Parishe had a traditional feel. It would not start until the traditional Kadalekai Abhisheka to lord Ganesha and Nandi took place. These days, however, the sale begins two days in advance,” she said adding, over the years, the age-old tradition was fading away.

Ramachandra Shetty, a resident of Begur, who was accompanied by his daughter, pointed out that in the last decade and a half, the price of groundnut had gone up nearly three times.

“I remember when my group of friends would walk from Lalbagh with just Rs 20 in our pockets. The groundnut that is sold at Rs 30 today was priced as low as Rs 3 back then,” he recollected.