A three-day traditional food festival commenced here on Friday evening. Minister for Tourism S.P. Shanmuganathan inaugurated the festival, where-in 26 stalls have been put up to attract people at Pearl City Beach. The festival is organised under the aegis of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
The open air festival at the sandy beach offered free entry to visitors with food stalls dishing up a traditional fare. With the objective of offering nutritional and hygienic food in the interest of consumers, the festival was held. The fest served food items, Tuticorin was famous for, to food lovers. Several food items would be prepared at the venue in order to serve fresh and quality food, Collector M. Ravikumar, who presided over the event, said.
Traditional food items were available in four stalls and seven more stalls were put up by noon meal scheme staff, Aavin, Food Safety Department, Fisheries Department, Siddha, Puthuvazhvu Thittam. Women self help groups had also arranged a variety of dishes. Much to the delight of food connoisseurs, six stalls sold premier hotel-made food stuff to tempt the consumers during the festival, which is open to visitors from 4 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. The visitors would get a variety of food items at reasonable prices.
Nine more stalls were set up to serve Tuticorin-famous items including macaroon, seafood, Kayalpattinam biriyani, Kovilpatti peanut, Kadambur poli, Udangudi ‘panangalkandu,’ Muscoth halwa and other snacks known from Keela Eeral.
The festival also featured folk arts performances, traditional dance, music, and other entertainment on stage to enthral the visitors.
Adequate facilities including bus services to the venue at the Pearl City beach were arranged.
He hoped that a similar food festival would be scheduled at Kovilpatti soon. District Revenue Officer R. Muthu, Sub Collector of Tuticorin S. Gopala Sundara Raj, ICDS officials, Joint Registrar of Cooperatives Janakiraman attended.
