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Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Ummante Vadakkini 

Ummante Vadakkini, (Mother’s Kitchen) the monthly food fest system initiated by Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission stands out different by setting a unique model. The food fest serves tasty, mouth watering ethnic Malabar cuisines. What makes Ummante Vadakkini different from another food courts? Not only the food served by them but also their mode of working is a bit different. Yes! They made a huge difference by shifting their mindsets to better thoughts.

Ummante Vadakkini:

Success Saga of a group of fearless people

 

Ummante Vadakkini, (Mother’s Kitchen) the monthly food fest system initiated by Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission stands out different by setting a unique model. The food fest serves tasty, mouth watering ethnic Malabar cuisines. What makes Ummante Vadakkini different from another food courts? Not only the food served by them but also their mode of working is a bit different. Yes! They made a huge difference by shifting their mindsets to better thoughts.

Concept of Ummante Vadakkini

The concept of Ummante Vadakkini is very simple. Every month the food court will be set up in different locations of the district for 3 days a month. Using the panchayath fund and using the 20% of the monthly turnover food fest would be set up in the upcoming months and the process continues.

How it was evolved?

During December 2016, a Christmas market was set up by Malappuram District Mission in the town itself. But unfortunately, the market couldn’t make much profit. On reviewing the issue, district mission could find out that only an innovative thought which is capable of winning the interest of the common public could be the only solution. The whole team of the Malappuram district mission assembled together and began thinking of a breaking through initiative. It was Smt. Hemalatha,  District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission who came up with the idea of a food court; a monthly food court. Every staff in the district mission felt that it would work out and that had made all the difference.

The whole team that a catchy and wonderful name could steal the whole show. And the name ‘Ummante Vadakkini’ was evolved. The interested catering units were identified at first.  Mainly there are five catering units who regularly take part in the same. They are ‘We One’ from Chelambra, ‘Arya’ unit from Nilambur, ‘Ramzan’ from Makaraparambu, ‘Teenas’ from Thayakkod and ‘Karthika’ from Nilambur. The catering units from the other CDSs also join where the food court would be organised. The first food fest in the series was conducted at Puthoor at Kottakkal using the Panchayath fund.

Mode of Working

Once a location is finalised, a meeting would be called at the concerned CDS. A reception committee would be called in the Panchayath level for discussing the further activities. An amount of Rs. 40,000 is given by the Panchayath.  For assuring the sales, coupons of different denominations would be sold at the CDS. This would serve as a means of publicity as well.  A Press meet would be called for publicizing the event to even larger extents. Following the green protocol, the Mission has intervened and used the amount got as commission for buying steel utensils for organising the programme without using any plastic. The food waste would be disposed by converging with the concerned Panchayath local bodies.

The team put in extra care to maintain the ethnic taste of the food they prepare. Juices, biriyanis, snacks, deserts etc are served at the food stalls.  There wouldn’t be any compromise in the quality of the food. And that is the key factor that the common people are more and more attracted to this monthly food festival.

Current Status

So far, Ummante Vadakkini had been organised in 10 different locations- Puthoor, Edavanappara, Angadippuram, Edappal, Kollam, Tirur, Thanoor, Vengara, Alathiyoor and Ponnani. The total Sales recorded during each food fest are as follows:

 

Month

 

 

      Location

 

Sales Recorded

 

No. of units participated

 

Total Expenditure

 

January

Puthoor

4,31,320

16

1,00,000

February

Edavannappara

3,51,210

12

1,11,476

March

Angadippuram

4,62,120

13

1,40,520

April

Edappal

2,23,473

12

1,41,816

April- May

Kollam

9,44,157

7

Nil

August

Tirur

2,86,245

6

84,680

October

Thanoor

1,92,790

9

1,80,466

November

Vengara

2,28,625

9

1,91,170

December

Aalathiyoor

1,92,460

8

1,68,743

December

Ponnani

2,29,685

6

75,730

 

 ‘Ummante Vadakkini’ had been set up at the  India Food Court set up by Kudumbashree NRO at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kaloor, Ernakulam as part of Mathrubhumi Festival and had received wonderful responses. ‘Ummante Vadakkini’ often participate in the Saras Fairs that are organised by other states and other fairs as well.

 Scope of the Initiative

The initiative is getting good response from the public.  District Mission had purchased steel utensils out of the amount collected as commission from the festival. This could minimise the amount that the catering units have to spend for the smooth running of the initiative.  This would in turn lead to the self sustainability of the catering units taking part in Ummante Vadakkini. Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission look forward to the smooth, self sustainable, self reliant functioning of ‘Ummante Vadakkini’ even without the assistance of district mission. The initiative is moving forward successfully unleashing the real strength that they have within them.