Avare Mela@25: A means to prevent food wastage turned into one of Bengaluru’s biggest food festivals
What started as a small event with four farmers has now grown into a massive event whose footfall was around around 4 lakh in the previous edition with over 500 farmers providing avare
Avare Mela, a celebrated food festival in Bengaluru, began as a modest gathering of four farmers in 1995. The event, held at present-day National College grounds, has evolved into one of the city's most anticipated culinary occasions, attracting over 4 lakh visitors during its 25th edition from December 27, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
The festival began when Geetha Shivakumar, a local resident, noticed farmers in Magadi throwing away leftover peeled beans (avare bele), which were not popular among residents. Ms. Shivakumar began selling these remaining beans as savouries under the Shree Vasavi Condiments brand, eventually leading to the creation of Avare Mela to celebrate and support the farmers.
The festival has expanded from offering 10 dishes in its inaugural year to now providing a whopping 125 dishes, including innovative creations like avarekaalu mayonnaise, avarekaalu pasta, and avarekaalu chocolate. Notably, Vasanna, one of the original four farmers, continues to supply avare bele, witnessing a significant increase in its value from ₹20-25 per kg in the 2000s to ₹250-300 per kg currently.
The Mela has shifted from the popular V. V. Puram food street to National College Grounds due to increasing crowds. Organiser Swathi emphasized the importance of recognizing the efforts of women who manually peel avarekayi and the lack of machinery for this process.
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