Fresh spices, 'Ginnu' & rural charm attract Bengaluru crowds to UHS Santhe

BENGALURU: In a city increasingly shaped by 10-minute delivery apps, the 'UHS Santhe' at the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK) campus is drawing thousands of Bengalureans every second Saturday, searching for something harder to deliver by these aggregators - the smoky aroma of freshly pounded spices, the lingering taste of warm Ginnu (Colostrum milk pudding) and a slice of rustic life.

Organised by the University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), the third edition of the santhe was bustling with visitors carrying cloth bags, sampling spice powders, savouring ginnu, checking organic fruits and vegetables, homemade chutney powders, vegan milk, millet and dry fruit based protein mixes, papads, pickles and region-specific spice blends from farmers and women self-help groups.

Officials said attendance has steadily increased, from around 3,000 during the first edition to nearly 6,000 this Saturday. Nearly Rs 6 lakh worth business was generated across 55 stalls. SL Jagadeesh, associate professor, research and extension, RHREC, said: "We want farmers to sell their products directly to consumers. Also, here we create a village-like setting during the santhe so that families can come, have a picnic while also accessing good quality items."

For many stall owners, the fair is also preserving culinary traditions that are slowly disappearing from urban kitchens. Rama Om Prasad sold papads, pickles and chutney powders based on recipes passed down by her mother. Her mixed dal and flaxseed chutney powders, she said, were originally designed as nutritious food supplements for children. Similarly, Mahesh K Bhyratae from Tiptur showcased a coarse Marathi-style sambar powder made using hammer mills to retain texture and flavour. "We wanted people to experience authentic flavours again," he said.

One of the busiest counters was run by Harish Kumar and Arpitha Harish from Yelahanka, who sold ginnu sourced from their goshaala in Ramanagara.