Celebrating the food, culture of the Nilgiris

It will be a celebration of the food, culture and ecology of the Nilgiri biosphere through a series of talks, food, film festivals and more at the second edition of The Nilgiris Earth Festival (TNEF), to be held at Kotagiri, Ooty and Coonoor from December 19 to 23.

A highlight of the festival, conducted by the Nilgiris Foundation, a sister concern of Kotagiri-based Keystone Foundation, will be the Habba, a day of plenary talks, indigenous foods, educational demos and artisanal stalls on the Keystone campus, Kotagiri, on December 21. “The day will start off with a conversation with Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, an agricultural economist who has worked with indigenous people across the world, who will illuminate critical indigenous ecological and agricultural topics. Yonn will speak on how to learn lessons from their stories and struggles,” says a representative of the Nilgiris Foundation. Lunch will include an array of indigenous dishes cooked from ingredients sourced from the Nilgiris Biosphere by Kurumba and Irula community members. Stalls set up at the venue will display indigenous arts, craft and produce.

‘Nilgiri Honey Bar’ will see a presentation by Nicola Bradbear, director of UK-based Bees for Development, on the importance of bees and pollinators in a climate-changed world with Robert Leo, an expert on bees and former Keystone Foundation director. An exhibition of bee products and items of beekeeping and honey hunting used by the indigenous communities will also be held.

Another highlight will be an event on gardening without digging by Gayathri Ganesh. ‘No-Dig’ gardening is a way of growing plants, usually vegetables, with the least disturbance to the soil, by mulching the ground and growing directly in beds of compost. “Sessions on integrating millets in our daily diets, musical performances by the indigenous community, stalls featuring Kurumba and Toda art, and a haiku walk with a poet will all be part of the event,” says the representative.

The ‘All Living Things’ Environmental Film Festival on December 22 and 23 at Coonoor will feature a curated selection of films that delve into the intricate relationship between culinary practices and climate change.

Some of the events are ticketed, while others only require a registration. The proceeds will be used for work and outreach in the areas of eco-development and conservation across the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.

The Nilgiris Foundation was established to create awareness, share knowledge and build bridges between eco-development initiatives in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and the rest of the world.

“This festival is an event to enjoy but equally to inspire and instigate thoughts and ideas about how to make the Nilgiris and indeed the world appreciate ecology better,” said Pratim Roy, director of the festival.