Curiously, the crowd of people at the pani puri stall inside Suntec Convention Centre hall 401 simply didn’t budge.
And it took me a minute to realise that patrons simply stood there slurping down the street food delicacy one piece at a time, as it was being handed to them by the stall vendor.
“This is how we eat pani puri in Mumbai,” said one of five middle-aged women crowding the stall with a small styrofoam bowl in hand. “You stand at the stall and eat until you’re done.”
Great, I thought, as I watched one of the women devouring probably her seventh puri. I’ll have to wait until one of them reaches her fill.
It was a similar story of queues everywhere else at the venue on Oct 5 as Namaste Bharat – an annual cultural bazaar – went into full gear on the second of its three days.
Some 150 exhibitors showcased “made in India” products crafted by traditional artisans. On hand was a blend of India’s vibrant culture, encompassing arts, couture and handcrafted goods. There was even a vendor for air conditioners.
Aside from the rows of stalls selling biryani, jalebis and pani puri, at the back of the hall was a stage that held fashion shows, yoga classes, Bollywood dance workshops and craft events.
In 2013, when Namaste Bharat – then named Singapore International Indian Shopping Festival – was inaugurated, Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan was the event’s main attraction. This time around it was actress and event ambassador Bhagyashree.
“Namate Bharat has definitely evolved over the years,” said Ms Purnima Kamath, founder and CEO of event management company De Ideaz.
“The number of exhibitors and visitors has been growing over the years, and we had a very nice response to this year’s event. Over 15 communities (Maharashtra Mandal, the Bengali Association, Malayali Association to name a few) came together under one umbrella as one unified community.”
Ms Purnima says plans are afoot for Namaste Bharat to head overseas, to Dubai, Riyadh and perhaps even Melbourne or Sydney.
“We want to become an iconic event, where every year at a fixed venue and on a fixed date, people will recognise that Namaste Bharat is happening. Hopefully, by 2026, we’ll evolved into an occasion everyone knows about.”
