People throng Pilikula on Vasanthothsava

People did not mind the scorching sun as hordes of them thronged various stalls in Pilikula, during ‘Pilikula Vasanthothsava,’ organised jointly by Pilikula Nisargadhama, Savayava Swavalambi Balaga and Kaklura Prathishthana on Sunday.

The stall belonging to Mounesh Mallya from Halasu Premigala Koota—Bantwal featured many delicacies made from jackfruit like kabab, jalebi, sheera, candy and wine. Also, several delicacies made from jackfruit seeds were also offered to customers. Jackfruit juice was in good demand. People also briskly purchased jackfruits. Amazingly, Jackfruit wine was sold out in no time.

Savayava Krishika Grahaka Balaga president K Rathnakar Kulai spoke to Deccan Herald and said the members of the association alone had put up 48 stalls out of the total 100 stalls. Ravishanker from Manjeshwar displayed rare varieties of fruits in his stall such as water fruit, egg fruit, giant guava, dwarf varieties of coconut and mango varieties like Langda, Austin, Daseri and Maharaja Pasand. Vegetable stalls - selling organic vegetables, made a brisk business.

Hopcom had also put up stalls. These apart, there were stalls of fish, millets, processed food items, household materials produced by the workers of artisan village in Pilikula, khadi dress items and others. Saplings of gumless jackfruit, rudrakshi jackfruit, Rambutan, Pulosan, Manyorten, Lakshmana phala etc., were also sold. The exhibited fruits were later auctioned in the evening.

There was an overwhelming response by the people to the stall put up by forest department. One could pick up Mahagony, Red sander, Sandalwood  or any other plants for Rs five each.

U G Sathyanarayana from Sullia, displayed his invention ‘Thamage,’ an earthen fridge in which vegetables and fruits could be kept for three weeks. The fridge is prepared using  two pots placed one inside the other, with sand and water filled in the gap. The temperature inside is 14 degree centigrade. He said that a special variety of pottery soil from Ananthapur in Andhra Pradesh is used to prepare the fridge. It has 10 litre capacity. The fridge was priced at Rs 1,500. Pilikula Nisargadhama Executive Director S A Prabhakar Sharma said more than 25,000 people visited the Vasanthothsava. Cultural programmes by the students of Jayashri Aravind and Gopadkar were held.

Jackfruit industry
Subhash from Artocarpus Food Pvt Ltd has said that the private company was started on May 16 at Kannur in Kerala and claimed it to be the first jackfruit processing industry in India. Among other bi-products of jackfruit, the company markets the flour grounded out of jackfruit seeds.

The flour is used in bakeries instead of maida, he said. The company packs and sells the products such as jackfruit cupcake, jackfruit  porridge, jackfruit mix, and other items with the brand name ‘Hebon’. DC A B Ibrahim said that plans were on anvil to conduct weekly shandy market at Pilikula  andVasanthothsava thrice in a year.