Even as a couple of days remained for the Sankranti festival, the people in predominantly agriculture-based district are gearing up to celebrate it in befitting manner notwithstanding the odds forced by drought.
Ragimudde (Ragi ball) eating contest was one such programme being organised in several places to uphold the rural food habits and the cultural tradition.
The contest conducted by Grameena Kreede and Samskrithika Kalavedike, Malur on Sunday received good response with around thirty people participating in it.
Those who ate maximum number of balls weighing 250 gm each in half an hour were declared winners of the contest. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries were provided to the mudde eating enthusiasts based on their food habit.
Even as the contestants swallowing the ragi balls one after another, the curious audience supported them with claps and blowing whistles.
Gurappa Shetty of Doddakadathur village emerged first with eating 12 balls. He won Rs. 5,000 and a trophy. Mahar Pasha of Malur ate nine ragi balls to bag second prize of Rs. 3,000. Chalaganahalli’s Muniraju who swallowed eight mudde won third prize with cash amount of Rs. 2,000.
The organisers of the contest wanted to send the message that ragi is useful in maintaining good health and it has medicinal utility in keeping the diabetes away.
