THE small venue where a two-day Soppu Mela or Green Leaves Fair was being held in Dharwad, in Karnataka, was overflowing with leaves of different colours, sizes, textures and hues. Farmers arrived from near and far with bundles of unfamiliar leaves — some with medicinal qualities and others known for their nutritional value.
The variety of edible greens that were brought to the fair surprised even the organizers, Sahaja Samruddha and Desi Angadi. Despite the small venue, and crop failure due to unseasonal rains this year, the Soppu Mela turned out to be a huge success. In two. . .