Bengaluru’s iconic Basavanagudi Kadalekai Parishe, the groundnut fair, is set to return on November 25 and 26, offering a festive blend of tradition, culture, and community spirit. This year, environmental advocates are particularly thrilled as the fair will promote eco-friendly practices. Vendors will distribute groundnuts in paper bags made from recycled newspapers, part of an initiative spearheaded by the Zero Waste Collective.
The campaign, which aims to reduce plastic usage, is gaining momentum with the support of residential welfare associations (RWAs), NGOs, schools, and colleges. The theme for this year’s fair, ‘Parishege banni, kai cheela thanni’ (Come to the fair, bring your own bags), encourages visitors to use their own reusable bags, helping reduce waste at the event. So far, over 60,000 paper bags have been crafted for distribution, with significant contributions from HSR Citizen Forum and RR Nagar.
Dhruv Nagarajan Koundinya, a 21-year-old engineering student and member of the Zero Waste Collective, is passionate about this initiative. Inspired by his childhood fascination with the fair, Dhruv was concerned about the plastic waste it generated each year. His efforts led to the creation of the Zero Waste Collective, which produces paper bags without staples, adhesives, or scissors—just two sheets of old newspaper. The collective has organized bag-making workshops in several residential areas across the city, engaging residents, including children, to learn about recycling and sustainability.
As part of the awareness campaign, the collective encourages festival-goers to bring their own paper bags, emphasizing that small actions, like carrying a lightweight bag, can make a big difference in promoting sustainability. Looking ahead, Dhruv envisions a future where people will no longer need to create alternative bags and will naturally carry their own, leading to a more eco-friendly festival experience.
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