Grand multi-cuisine food court to come up for pilgrims, tourists at Mahakumbh
UP to set up extensive food court at Mahakumbh-2025 on banks of Sangam with local cuisine and sweets. UPSTDC developing 25 food stalls.
As part of the ongoing efforts to make Mahakumbh-2025 a grand event and provide best possible facilities and services to the visitors, the state government is going to set up an extensive food court in the mela area on the banks of Sangam to offer devotees a taste of local cuisine, delectable sweets, and various culinary styles.
To ensure quality food services for all visitors, the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (UPSTDC) will be developing this grand food court, said a state government spokesman.
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UPSTDC has allocated about 25,000 square feet near the Parade Ground area for setting up the food court. This facility will be along Parade Ground Road, close to the Ganga Pandal and Tourism Tent Colony in Sector-1 of the fair area, featuring 25 food stalls, each measuring 15 x 15 square feet, officials shared.
An agency will be selected for the development and management of the food court and various food stalls, with applications invited through a Request for Proposal (RFP).
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It is important to note that once the work is awarded, the agency will expedite the development of the designated food court area to ensure it is ready well ahead of the fair.
Crores of devotees from 75 countries are expected to attend Mahakumbh-2025, which will span 45 days. There will be a total of three ‘shahi snans’ during this mega festival.
During the bathing periods, it is anticipated that 2 lakh people will take a holy dip in the Sangam area every hour. To cater to their needs, the food courts providing food, sweets, tea, drinking water, and other essentials, will operate 24 hours a day.
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The proposed operational period for these food stalls has been set at 180 days, with a minimum rental fee threshold of ₹61.50 lakh.
The food court will feature a diverse range of cuisine styles from across the country, with a focus on local traditional ‘satvik’ food.
The menu will include baati-chokha, Awadhi thali, Banarasi thali, various types of khichdi, and Marwari, Gujarati, and Jain dishes. Devotees will also be able to enjoy sweets from all over India, with a special emphasis on Bengali sweets, as well as renowned local treats, officials shared.
National brand food outlets will also be opened in the court. All food stalls will be designed like a German hangar. The food court, with high-quality chairs and tables, will offer ample seats to the devotees. Facilities for heating and air conditioning will be provided, and strict hygiene standards will be maintained in food preparation.
Important bathing days
The first bathing festival on January 13, 2025, on Paush Purnima would mark the formal start of the mega fair while the first shahi snan is scheduled for January 14 on Makar Sankranti.
Subsequent shahi snans will take place on Mauni Amavasya on January 29 and Basant Panchami on February 3. Post bathing festivals of Maghi Purnima on February 12 and Mahashivratri on February 26, the fair would conclude.