Bengaluru: The two-day annual groundnut fair (Kadlekai Parishe) began in Basavanagudi on Monday with the traditional fanfare. Thousands of people from all parts of the city thronged to buy fresh groundnuts at the fair.
The fair began with the customary puja at the Doddanagapathi temple in Basavanagudi. Hundreds of groundnut growers from Chintamani, Magadi and Kolar, and several places in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu participated in the fair and sold their crop.
Plastic bags were completely banned at the fair. Though farmers had feared that the demonetisation move could affect their business, there was a big crowd and it was business as usual. Some sellers were seen complaining about lack of change.
Mayor G. Padmavathi inaugurated the fair with a puja and recalled her association with the fair. “I have been coming here to buy groundnut for the last one decade. It is more like a tradition,’ she said.
As part of the fair, several cultural programmes, including street plays, were organised to create awareness about environmental protection.
