Get a taste of Puja, head for stalls

Being a food festival, housewives prepare authentic Bengali delicacies at home which they then sell at nominal rates in different stalls at the pandals.
With Anando Mela, Feasting Sets The Note For Durga Puja Festivities To Begin The Anando Mela marks the beginning of all the fun and excitement that revolves around Durga Puja.

While most pujas will hold the mela on Sunday, welcoming the goddess on Mahashashti, there were a few which put up the stalls a day ahead on Saturday. ‘‘The enthusiasm among women in the community is remarkable. There is a huge turnout for this fair. It’s such an essential part of the festival, that we actually look forward to eat the delicious food at the pandals. During these four days, most Bengalis, like me, don’t cook at home and enjoy eating here with family and friends,’’ says Debashish Saha, head of the organising committee at Matri Mandir, Safdarjung Enclave. Most puja samitis also give out prizes for the best stall at their pandals. ‘‘We’ve organised for around 100 stalls. Of these, we will award the best one considering the presentation, hygiene and of course, the recipe and preparation,’’ says Anjan Mukherjee, convenor of Durgotsav at Shiv Mandir, CR Park. The stalls offer some lip-smacking snacks and sweets — Ghugni, narkol nadu, pithey, paatisapta, luchi-chhola, taal gurer payesh. And for those who crave for spicy food, the stalls also have vegetarian and non-vegetarian items — Mughlai paratha, fish curry, chicken curry, biryani, egg roll — the list is endless. Besides, there are North-Indian preparations also on offer.