SHOWING THE WAY: Mayor Mallika Begum at the raw food festival in the city on Saturday.— Photo: Raju V.

VIJAYAWADA : It was a blend of food and music. Hundreds of people who participated in the `Amruthahara' raw food festival at S.V.S. Kalyana Mandapam on Saturday savoured several uncooked dishes, besides enjoying the soul-stirring devotional songs.

As many as 30 dishes, which included sweets and salads made of vegetables, fruits and sprouts, were showcased and served to the visitors. A group of singers from Guntur-based Mahathi Orchestra sang devotional songs from old Telugu movies to lend a spiritual touch to the event.

Mayor Mallika Begum, who inaugurated the food festival and tasted a little of all the raw dishes, observed that raw food culture was fast catching up in the city. "Sprouts are being sold in supermarkets and even pan kiosks. Irrespective of age and gender, many people are consuming them to stay fit," she said.

Healthy habit

Ms. Begum revealed that she herself was very fond of raw carrots when she was a child. "We have to encourage these kind of food festivals, where we can learn so much about how to stay healthy. Participation in such events will help us keep ourselves fit," she said.

S. Sivannarayana and Ankama Rao, organisers of the festival, said it was third time that they were conducting the event. "The festival was conducted twice in Guntur," they said.

Though the event saw a good turnout, a few visitors were surprised to see Rs.50 being charged for raw food dinner. They complained that the publicity posters did not mention that Rs.50 would be charged for tasting the food.

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