An awareness march highlighting the importance of cereals, followed by a cooking competition featuring traditional and forgotten cereal-based dishes, was organized on Tuesday by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, and the Agriculture Department.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Anand Prakash Meena flagged off the march from the city fort premises. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the consumption of cereals enhances nutritional value and emphasized the need to create widespread awareness about their benefits. He noted that including cereals in the daily diet helps maintain nutritional balance and can aid in preventing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
The march proceeded from the fort premises to Gandhi Maidan. Joint Director of Agriculture Chandrashekhar, Deputy Director Somashekhar, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department Shashidhar, Assistant Director of the Agriculture Department, technical assistants, NCC students, farmers, and others participated in the rally.
Later, a cooking competition showcasing cereal-based and traditional forgotten dishes was held at the hall of the Joint Director’s Office of the Agriculture Department. More than 60 teams took part in the competition.
An exhibition of a wide variety of dishes prepared using cereals such as jola, ragi, navane, sajje, haraka, baragu, saame, and other millets attracted large attention. Items on display included ragi dosa, nipattu, chutney, chakkuli, kodubale, kajjaya, millet payasa, millet pulao, ragi biscuits, white jowar biscuits, millet cakes, siridhanyapaddu and laddu, siridhanya chutney, brinjal cutlet, navane dosa, jackfruit cutlet, bookikajjaya, ragi laddu, guligepayasa, sajjenadu, navane cutlet, papaya halwa, sajje halwa, siridhanya ode, fenugreek ode, ragi and carrot cake, shama powder kalukadubu, hurikadalechikki, iralekaigojju, wheat halwa, sweet kadubu, navanebisibele bath, navaneuppittu, ragi halwa, ragi mixer, kakkadsoppupayasa, sweet potato khara, irale pickle, navanerotti, ginger chutney, kesasaru, mango juice, kumbalakodipalya, baragu ode, siridhanyanipattu, areca nut puttu, navane-baragu halwa, patrodebenti, and several other traditional dishes.
At the district level, prizes of Rs. 5,000 for first place, Rs. 3,000 for second place, and Rs. 2,000 for third place were awarded separately for spicy dishes, sweet dishes, and forgotten dishes categories.
Addressing the gathering, Joint Director of the Agriculture Department Chandrashekhar said that cereals are rich in nutrients and should be included regularly in the diet. He added that cereal consumption strengthens bones and provides essential calcium, making their use vital for overall health.
