A field day at Krishi Mela 2025, Mandya

Notes from a hot December morning walking fields, stalls, and a live demos.

Productive, eyes‑wide‑open day at Krishi Mela in Mandya. The range of staples and cereals on the field and in the stalls was genuinely eye‑opening.

Farmers walking the trial plots at Krishi Mela 2025, Mandya.

Incidentally, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy was on stage while I was there, speaking in a very relatable, earthy style.

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy addressing the crowd at Krishi Mela 2025 in his familiar, earthy style.

Got a close look at mushroom cultivation and beekeeping, along with some of the value‑added products around them.

Live comb on display, used to explain how much of our food depends on pollinators.

Demonstration hive showing how managed bee colonies can fit into small farms and backyards.

I didn’t quite expect the scale of the turnout, and have to commend the volunteers for keeping parking and traffic as smooth as they could.

Entrance to the maize demo plot at Krishi Mela 2025, woven entirely from corn cobs.

Days like this remind me of the ‘miles to go’ line from Robert Frost.