Attend this food festival in Mumbai to learn about the benefits of rice

Seed bank on display

Rice or bhaat as it is locally called across Maharashtra constitutes one of the most significant parts of the staple diet in the state. But with the rise of millet, rice has been losing the importance that it once held. To raise awareness about this super grain, OOO Farms is organising its annual Bhaat Mahotsav, allowing a platform for farmers to vocalise the benefits of rice in our everyday meal. Along with 24 dishes made solely from rice, the festival will also hold a display of their seed bank which will showcase Indian traditional seeds that are now rarely used in farming.

Visitors at the previous rice festival. Pics courtesy/OOO Farms

Shailesh Awate, co-founder of OOO Farms, says that the aim of the festival is to dispel myths surrounding rice and to raise awareness about its health benefits. "That rice causes diabetes or obesity, is a myth. The rice we consume today is hybrid or imported. The farming of traditional Indian rice varieties - kalbhat, khadkya and other varieties - that are beneficial to our health has extensively decreased and can only be found in rural Maharashtra."

Farmers planting rice in a field

Awate mentions that the urgency to re-educate people about rice was felt when they found out about the lack of knowledge that people have about traditional rice grains. "We had planted 30,000 trees on top of mountains that have become barren but only two trees survived. That's when we understood the severity of climate change. So, we started studying the availability of food in the region. We discovered that these rice seeds could survive all kinds of climate. So, we decided to share their benefits with the rest of the world," Awate reveals.

Shailesh Awate

The one-day festival will not only have food stalls set by farmers, who will cook traditional dishes made from rice but will also have professional chefs who will prepare dishes like risotto from local rice. The highlight of the festival will be the dialogue exchange between chefs about traditional and local rice varieties and their origin stories. Awate shares that there are nearly 1,40,000 traditional rice varieties in India, adding, "We need to stop bashing rice for all the wrong reasons related to our physical health, and start learning which variety is ideal, and shape our diet accordingly."

ON February 4; 4 pm to 10 pm
AT Jio World Drive (South Sky), BKC, Bandra East.
CALL 7208002008
LOG ON TO ooofarms.com/in.bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 900