Rourkela: As hockey fever has gripped Odisha’s Rourkela, a host of programmes, including a street food festival with wide variety of mouth-watering dishes, have been organised in the steel city ahead of the Men’s World Cup.
The ongoing ‘Eat Right Street Food Mela” in Basanti Colony area has been attracting a large number of visitors to savour a wide range of delicacies available in the stalls erected at the venue.
The FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 will be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela between January 13 and 29 and people of the two cities are filled with enthusiasm and excitement ahead of the mega international event.
Apart from indigenous delicacies of Odisha, food items from different other states including Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan are also being served at the stalls.
People of the steel city and neighbouring areas are making a beeline to savour the mouth-watering dshes starting from chicken, prawn and mutton biryani, chicken pakoda, litti chokha, gup chup, chat to pao bhaji and dosa.
Also available are a wide range of sweet dishes, while a selfie corner has become a special attraction for visitors to take photos.
Hailing the mela organised ahead of the mega international hockey event as an innovative concept, hockey lover Priya Das said she thronged the venue with family and found the food served at the stalls very tasty.
Apart from giving business opportunities to people engaged in food business, the event will create awareness among the people about hockey and popularise the game, she said.
Rourkela Municipal Corporation Commissioner Subhankar Mohapatra said many stalls have been put up by women Self Help Groups (SHGs), while several dishes prepared from millet are being offered in view of the International Year of Millets being observed.
Cultural programmes including dance performance and presentation of music have become another attraction at the mela.
