On August 20, food blogger Kripal Amanna published a Food Walk video on his YouTube channel featuring none other than Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar. The video was from the minister’s Bengaluru visit on August 12, and he had shared his experience on his Twitter account that day.
The minister had written, “Toured Bengaluru’s famous V V Puram food street with popular food blogger Kripal Amanna. A real treat for the senses and a storehouse of the city’s culinary history. And a special opportunity to celebrate #HarGharTiranga.”
Toured Bengaluru’s famous V V Puram food street with popular food blogger Kripal Amanna.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 12, 2022
A real treat for the senses and a storehouse of the city’s culinary history.
And a special opportunity to celebrate #HarGharTiranga pic.twitter.com/ho0hOERULV
VV Puran food street that is also known as ‘Thindi Beedi’, is one of the most popular destinations for street food lovers in Bengaluru. Dr S Jaishankar was scheduled to visit the food street for a small food walk, and popular food blogger Kripal Amanna joined him to get the minister to taste the best dishes and tell a few stories behind the dishes, food street, and the food joints.
During the food walk, Kripal suggested different food items to the minister and explained the cultural history of the place as well as the food. “An absolute honour to spend an evening with our esteemed External Affairs Minister Shri Dr S Jaishankar, discussing most things food. Grateful to the universe that conspired to make this happen,” wrote Kripal.
A privilege, Sir, Honourable Minister @DrSJaishankar to introduce you to a few of the culinary delights of #nammabengaluru ‘s V.V. Puram Thindi Beedhi. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. 🙏🙏🙏 https://t.co/Z0h9oeLttE
— kripal amanna (@kripalamanna) August 13, 2022
Minister for Higher Education, IT & BT, Science & Technology, Karnataka, Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, accompanied Dr S Jaishankar on the food walk. He wrote, “Good food and interesting conversation are eternal ways that can create memorable moments! Had a great time with the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr S Jaishankar avaru, and Food Blogger Kripal Amanna avaru at the famous VV Puram Food Street, Bengaluru.”
Good food and interesting conversation are eternal ways that can create memorable moments!
— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) August 12, 2022
Had a great time with the External Affairs Minister of India @DrSJaishankar avaru and Food Blogger @kripalamanna avaru at the famous VV Puram Food Street, Bengaluru. https://t.co/RqiY7Sxzh5 pic.twitter.com/lYh8xvQgCM
During the food walk, union minister Dr Jaishankar enjoyed several dishes, including Holige, Gudbud, Avacado milkshake, dry fruit milkshake, ice creams, and more. He also distributed the national flags to the shop owners as part of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ program.
Importance of food tourism and how a minister’s visit can make a difference
During the food walk, Dr Jaishankar talked about how tourism is one of the highest revenue generation sections across the globe. It is essential to promote such places where the tourists can find local delicacies during their visit to the cities. Not only foreign tourists but Indian tourists should also be aware of the places to find local delicacies.
It is a well-known fact that the Indian food scene is beyond anyone’s imagination, but it lacks the support and promotion that it deserves. It is next to impossible for a tourist to know about the local food without proper promotions. Food bloggers like Kripal are doing an amazing job in promoting authentic local food.
However, when a union minister pays a visit to a local food street and explores the delicacies while learning about the history and culture of the food, it makes a lot of difference and helps in promoting local entrepreneurs in the food industry.
One of the interesting aspects of this particular food walk was that Kripal mentioned that the butter used by the cooks on the street was not bought from the market but procured from nearby villages. The minister mentioned he could feel the difference in the taste. When someone eats food from these shops, they are not only supporting local food stall owners but also the local dairies, farmers, and other entrepreneurs involved in providing raw material for the food preparations. It makes a lot of impact on the local economy.
