Avarekai Mela

If you like to experiment with food, then the annual Avarekai Mela held in VV Puram (around Sajjan Rao Circle and Thindi Street) is where you should be. For the uninitiated, avarekai is hyacinth beans or flat beans and is easily the city’s most favourite food. The event, organised by Geetha Shivakumar of Sri Vasavi Condiments, sees over 200 farmers from Magadi, Kolar and other nearby places retail piles of fresh, farm-sourced avarekai. The mela is usually on from 11 am to 11:30 pm for about 18 days in January. A winter speciality, avarekai can be had in varied forms, and you must sample its various recipes, including hithkabele (avarekai without the skin), sambhar, dosa, idli, upma, vada and even the honey jalebi, jamoon and holige (sweet chapatti)! If you want to buy fresh green beans, I suggest you head out to this place in the evening. In all, this is a must visit while in the city.