Sunday, December 14, 2008

Kadalekai Parashe...



Kadalekai bekaa KadaleKai – This is how the sale beings during the World Famous Karnataka Kadale Kai Parshe in Southern part of Namma Bengaluru. Dodda Parashe is for two days and then the third day is Chikka Parashe.

The Fair/Mela offers the first Groundnut Yield to Basavanna.

Like all software version updates we got to here a couple of versions of why this famous 2-3 days festival is celebrated in Basavanagudi only!

We spoke to Manigandan – Salem who is in this part of the town to sell the ground nuts which he has reaped and harvested in his land. According to him this Mela is going on for the last 70-80 years and this has been a Family Tradition which he is continuing "Some decades ago Basavanagudi was a forest! And it so happened that at that point in time Ground Nuts were cultivated here..During the Harvest Season it so happened that a Bull – Basava happened to ransack the land and the famer happen to beat the Bull to Death. Apparently not all are lucky to have a Second Life but this Bull did get one more. During the Second Birth it did trace out the famer and killed him just staring at him. All living things are to rest in peace and this is how this Basava died the second time as well.. The farmers then offered prayers to Basava (Nandi) to stop this and pledged to offer their first crop.

Subsequently, an Idol of Basava was found close by. Apparently if you happen to take a visit to this Temple you will notice one unique thing on the HEAD of the BULL. A Large Iron Peg is drilled into the head. The Version which we got to hear is as follows:

It has been said that, the Idol was growing rapidly, and the farmers nailed an iron peg on the head of the idol, which is visible in the form of a trishula even to this date.

We got to hear a Second Version as well from Selvi & Muniappa from Dharmapuri & Kollegalla. They seemed to be in line with one another may be because they had their stalls beside one another and here it is… The bull stopped inflicting damage and the thankful farmers held a Groundnut Fair (Kadalekai Parashe) which continues even to this day! A temple built in the Dravidian style by Kempe Gowda, founder of Bangalore, A bull, made of stone stands at 4.5 mts high and 6.5 mts long. The temple was supposedly built to appease a bull that devoured all the groundnuts/peanuts grown in the area.

The Traffic is a mess out here during this time. All the side roads are a choco-block…Resident do not Crib here since they understand the Mela's Importance! The entire stretch of Bull Temple Road is lightened up with different shades of DISCO LIGHTS. Alongside of the footpath we notice different varieties of Ground Nuts…Roasted/Cooked/Raw/Salted mmmm...Oops I tasted all of it and its Jaw Dropping.

Well apart from the Election Time we did notice a couple of Posters which had all of the recent Politicians having Clean Background to some Rowdy Elements…Not sure what is their role!

Just to name a few – Basavanagudi MLA – Ravi Subramanya; CM – B.S. Yeddy; Defeated MLA – R.V Devaraj and Muthappa Rai " I understand that he is out of Criminal Activities and his hands are full with Jai Karnataka Activities.

Back to where we were…we did a ground check and believe me is an AWESOME experience to walk around just to get a glimpse of the Heap of Grounds Nuts.

I am given to understand that people from far of places visit here every year and take part to either showcase some interesting articles which may be for sale and some for just Window Shopping …

We met Mr. Anantharam a Senior Citizen here and it's his 25th year of consecutive visit to this Fair. He is a local resident. I make it a point to keep all things aside just to witness this huge gathering and the commotion. It's a different feeling and I have noticed this fair getting stronger and competing every year. I always come with my wife Lakshmi.

Mr. Satyanarayana is visiting this fair for 11th year…he finds it interesting as he happens to see all class of people and this according to him is absolute Fair with full of Joy, Jam & this is the best opportunity for Farmers to sell their Products to Direct Customers rather than the usual Food Bazzar's. Last Monday of Karthik Massa coincides with KadaleKayi Parishe.

Land Mark Details:

** Basavanagudi – Bull Temple Road [close to Rama Krishna Ashrama].

Thank you all and I strongly recommend readers to witness this Fair "Kadalekai bekaa KadaleKai" during the Financial downturn which will keep you off the pressures since its very relaxing.