Shahi paneer, pizza, pasta and momos: Kanwar camps serve a feast without onion and garlic

Kanwar camps in Uttar Pradesh are serving up a surprisingly wide variety of food for devotees this year, with menus ranging from traditional paneer dishes and puris to pasta, pizza, momos and burgers, all prepared without onion and garlic.

The camps have put together full-day meal schedules for kanwariyas, blending familiar Indian food with popular fast-food options while keeping the preparations in line with the dietary preferences followed at the camps.

The day begins with tea, biscuits, poha and jalebi, followed by a breakfast spread that includes samosas, kachoris, bread pakoras, vegetable Hakka noodles and honey chilli potatoes.

For lunch, devotees can choose from shahi paneer, kadhai paneer, paneer lababdar, dal makhani and mixed vegetables. These are served with chur-chur naan, butter naan, jeera rice and rotis. Rabri-jalebi, rasmalai, rasgulla and gulab jamun are also part of the spread.

The evening menu takes an even more contemporary turn, with spring rolls, chilli paneer, Manchurian, white and red sauce pasta, vegetable pizza, momos, macaroni, soup and burgers.

Dinner returns to more traditional fare with chhole-puri, matar paneer, pulao, dal and rotis, along with kheer, halwa, fruit custard and gulab jamun. Lassi, buttermilk, juice, tea, coffee and cold drinking water are also available through the day.

Machines help prepare food for thousands

With thousands of devotees expected to be served, some camps are using machines to speed up food preparation.

At the Kankarkheda Vyapar Sangh camp, organisers have installed a machine capable of kneading 20 kg of dough at a time, along with an automatic roti-making machine, coordinator Neeraj Mittal and operations manager Rajesh Khanna said.

The roti-making machine produces around 16 rotis per minute and approximately 900 an hour. Its daily output is estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 rotis. Machines are also being used to chop vegetables and prepare spices in bulk.

Special food for devotees observing fast

The camps have also made arrangements for kanwariyas observing fasts.

Sudhir Rastogi, a member of the organising team at the Modipuram camp, said special 'falahar' meals are being provided. These include dishes prepared with kuttu and singhara flour, potato curry, seasonal fruits and other fasting-appropriate foods.

After their journey, devotees are also served hot kesar doodh in traditional kulhads.

Camps focus on hygiene and reducing plastic use

Several camps have also adopted plastic-free arrangements this year. Stainless steel utensils are being used instead of plastic or thermocol plates, while serving areas are being maintained with a focus on cleanliness.

The UP government said district authorities are regularly inspecting private camps to monitor food quality, hygiene and other arrangements. Administrative teams are also conducting periodic inspections, while hundreds of volunteers are involved in providing round-the-clock service.

Amit Murti, organiser of the Maa Kanwar Seva Camp, said the aim was not only to provide food but also to make the journey of Shiv devotees safe, pleasant and memorable.

Camp organisers said food quality, hygiene and safety standards are being followed in accordance with the Uttar Pradesh government's guidelines.
With PTI inputs