Patialvis get to relish multiple Indian cuisines at Saras Mela

From traditional Punjabi food to Mughlai cuisines — the food court at the Saras Mela turned into the to-go place for the foodies

From traditional Punjabi food to Mughlai cuisines — the food court at the Saras Mela turned into the to-go place for the foodies in Patiala. While traditional folk dancers entertained the people, the spices from different states and the aroma of the food filled the air.

Patiala, India-23 February 2018 :::: Visitors enjoying foods Saras fair Sheesh mahal in Patiala on Friday, February 23, 2018.photo by Bharat Bhushan Hindustan Times.

Food trail

The dishes from Bihar included ‘litti chokha’ and ‘sattu,’ Gujarat’s stall had ‘bhelpuri’ and ‘pau bhaji.’ Rajasthan’s cuisine remained the favourite among the crowd, while peanut ‘ladoos’ and Haryavani desi ghee ‘jalebis,’ left people craving for more. Also, the special south Indian ‘thali,’ rasam, etc was in great demand.

A royal platter
The Mughlai cuisine, including chicken and mutton briyani, were crowd-pullers. People could be seen enjoying the taste of korma, kebabs, masala papads, etc.

“Patiala residents are chicken and mutton lovers. Even though, the 12-day Mela is in its early stage, we are getting huge response from the customers,” said Irfan, a Mughlai food stall worker.

Punjabi folk singer Satinder Sartaj performing at the Saras Fair in Patiala. (Bharat Bhushan/HT)

Pritima, a local resident, said that due to this fair, one doesn’t need to go to these states to taste their food. “The stall owners are presenting the dishes in their original form. The owners are informing us about the stuffing and spices used in the dishes before serving them,” she said.

Another resident, Tejeshwar Singh, said that these dishes are available at the local eateries as well, but the dishes served at the fair have authentic taste.

Promoting culture

Additional deputy commissioner Shaukat Ahemad Pare, nodal officer of the Mela, said that the aim is to bring food, culture, craftsmanship, handiworks and traditions of different states together on one platform.

Punjabi folk singer Pammi Bai performing at the Saras Mela at Sheesh Mahal in Patiala on Friday. (Bharat Bhushan/HT)

“The enthusiasm among the locals can be gauged from the fact that the rush at fair is constantly increasing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kashmiri, Gujarati and Sikkim’s handicrafts are dominating the linens sections; the artificial flower stalls are from Nagaland. The jewellery section is being shared by Rajasthani and Uttar Pradesh’s craftsmen and the carpenters of Saharanpur are selling furniture.