CHENNAI: The food festival on Marina Beach organised by the self-help groups under the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women was inaugurated by the Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday.

More than 150 women from 65 SHGs have set up 35 food stalls and 7 fast-food stalls at the food festival. Apart from this, a sales exhibition for 45 products including household usables is also being held in 3 separate halls.

Musical performances and traditional cultural programmes are also organised.

Free parking has been arranged at the campuses of the University of Madras, Queen Mary’s College and Lady Willington College near Marina Beach.

A SHG member, Jayalakshmi from Krishnagiri said, “This food festival offers us space to exhibit our traditional food in its authentic way to the people of Chennai.”

There are 286 varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items, including ready-to-eat dishes like Dharmapuri rava khajoor, Srivilliputhur palkova, Tirunelveli halwa, Ariyalur roasted cashews, etc., and also freshly-made specialties of each district such as Tiruchy Navadhaniya pudding, Mayiladuthurai Prawn Kulumbhu, Nagapattinam Chola Paniyaram, Madurai Curry Dosai, Virudhunagar Karandi Omelette, and Arcot biryani, which are sold there.

Visitors can top-up their ‘QR’ cards at the payment counters and receive food from the stalls. Training on quality of organic products, sales techniques, and various aspects of marketing will be provided.

HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu, Mayor R Priya, Rural Development Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, TN Women Development Corporation executive director Shreya P Singh and others accompanied the Deputy CM to the event.

The food festival will be held till December 24 from 12.30 pm to 8.30 pm. Entry is free.