Intricate Vegetable Sculptures Dazzle Tourists at Kotagiri Fair

The 12th Annual Vegetable Fair in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu mesmerized the tourists with various sculptures made of more than four tons of vegetables.

Held at Kotagiri’s Nehru Park on May 6th and 7th, this event marked the beginning of the summer festival, and attracted a huge crowd.

Children and adults alike were captivated by the botanical replicas of Hornbill, Peacock, Panda, Thanjavur Araba, Veena and Bhavani Sagar Dam, which were given by farmers from several regions.

Notable creations included a “pumpkin” dragon, a “mixed vegetable” panda, a Thanjavur chariot, a “bitter gourd” crocodile, and an “eggplant” elephant with a “save us” message.

The exhibition also displayed millet and maize crops in celebration of the International Year of Millet.

Visitors enjoyed selfie props such as “I Love Kotagiri”, “Namma Kotagiri” and eagle wings during the two-day exhibition.

Emphasizing the importance of solid waste management, Kotagiri Town Panchayat displayed sculptures made from non-degradable waste such as plastics and tires.

To promote environmental friendliness, the state government has distributed “Manjapai” (yellow cloth bags) to visitors, reviving the ancient Tamil Nadu practice of using cloth bags.

Tourist Pradipa said, “I have never been to a vegetable show in Kotagiri before. It is amazing to see animals decorated with vegetables, especially crocodiles created from bitter gourds and elephants with brinjal.”

Suja, another tourist from Chennai, added, “The works are amazing and wonderful to watch. The exhibition literally showed me that there are many types of vegetables and they look beautiful.”

The exhibition attracted 5,800 visitors on the first day and 11,000 visitors on the second. Sellers will get an average price for whole vegetables, such as bitter squash and corn.

The horticultural department will provide the cut vegetables to the municipal department for fertilizer production.