Local cuisine in bamboo hut— new flavour at Holi fair

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, April 2

The traditional Himachali cuisine served in a bamboo hut at Chowgan in Sujanpur Tihra town has added a new flavour to the Holi festivities that are continuing here, though the festival ended on March 18. It has also become the talk of the town for the delicious food being served. Local artisans have constructed the hut and the self-help groups of the area are running the food point. People are coming here to enjoy traditional foods, including ‘makki ki roti’ with ‘sarson ka saag’, ‘urad ki khichari’, ‘gehun ka seera’, ‘sepu bari’ and Kangri dham.

The Holi festival ended on March 18 but the festivities are continuing in the town and hundreds of people are still visiting the festival ground every day.

Raja Sansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty had started the national-level Holi festival way back in 1796 and since then, it has become the most popular festival of the region.

Poonam Dhiman, coordinator of Keshav SHG, who is managing the food point, says that it is tough to meet the demand of food, as the number of guests is always more than the expectation. “In such a situation, we have to serve fast food, too. Women have received great support from the district administration in setting up the food point,” she adds.

Seema Devi of the Shiva Self-Help Group says that people have also placed orders for the construction of bamboo huts. She adds that she has come to the fair for the first time and it has helped their SHG to sell its products and raise income. “We will come more prepared next time,” she says. The SHGs are also selling products like pickles, jams, sewai, seera and handloom and handicraft items, she adds.

Deputy Commissioner Debasweta Banik saus that the women self-help groups have helped in improving their economy by selling their products. They have become more confident and independent, she adds.

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