Kadlekai Parishe, is a crucial annual event that is held at the end of the Karthika month. The groundnut festival first took place in 1537 AD, with a legendary tale involving Kempegowda himself.
This year, the festival saw the unofficial commencement with crowds thronging the street to grab the first lot brought in by farmers from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka.
For the past 486 years, except the pandemic years, Bengaluru’s Basavanagudi street has been thick with the aroma of kadlekai and chirpy, haggling crowds.
“This is not our main profession. Back home, we have different kinds of crops that we grow. I came here this year to witness the festival and crowd since I have heard so much about it.”
76-year-old Keshava Murthy too has been a regular at the festival since he was 10 years old. “I feel the crowd is cheerful, and everyone is happy here. That makes me happy.”
“No plastic bag, only paper cover.” Owing to the temple management’s decision for the plastic ban, vendors at the festival are using only brown paper bags.
In an era where experiences are limited to digital media, local fairs like Kadlakei Parishe are a reminder of community living in a real world that celebrates history and heritage.