The quantity of avarekai sourced for the festivalhas also risen notably over the years says Mallayya a farmer who has beenregular at the mela. The mela will be also heldin Malleswaram from January 18 to 22 and in Nagarabhavi from January 25thto 29th . Thefoodies are flooding to vv puram to taste various delicious food items made ofaverakai. Avarekai Dosa, Hithkabele holige(parotta stuffed with avarekai, Averekai vada, avarekai honey jaleby, avarekai mallige idli, avarekai nippattuare the popular dishes at the mela. Every year a new item will be introduced inthe mela. It is nowonder that the mela has become an inherent part of city’s socio cultural fabric. You will get everything except water made of avarakai.
The story of the AvarekaiMela goes back to the year 2000, Geetha Shivakumar, proprietor of Shri Vasavi Condiments, noticed that while the broad beans were very popular, the peeled avarekai werevery easily spoilt. To minimise farmers’ losses due to immoderate spoilage, andto make sure that the crop did not go to waste, Geetha started a avarekai fairin her store offering a variety of fresh beans and turned them to tasty snackswhich have shelf life. Bengaluru have a deeper historical connectionwith this bean. In 12th century the king vira Ballala II, king ofHoysala was out hunting in the area that is Yelahanka when he lost his way. Hecame upon a hut belonging to an old woman, who offered him cooked beans andwater. So pleased he was with her generosity that he named the areaBendekaluru, Town of boiled beans which over time became Bengaluru. Bengaluru’slove affair with the beans is an enduring one and it is evident from theetymology of the city’s name is ‘ Town of Boiled Beans.
Avarakai Mela not onlyturns the flat beans into unique recipies but also supports the local farmersand helps them to sell their products. These flat beans are rich in protein and fibre. The highly nutritiousbeans are ubiquitous to the local cuisine and a familiar sight at vegetablestalls and local Hopcoms in the winter season. Because of Bangalore’s inextricablerelationship with avarakai the city’s residents do more than just eat thesebeans. VV PuramFood Street is always flooded with foodies.
Now it is more crowded because ofbangaloreans love for ‘ Averakai ‘ a kindof flat beans also known as hyacinth beans. Theannual averakai mela held at sajjan rao circle in vv puram. The mela aiming tosupport the farmers who produces Averakai beans in an around Bangalore.