SARAS Food Festival

SARAS Food Festival 2026 is part of the national-level SARAS Aajeevika Mela calendar for FY 2026–27, organized under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) by the Ministry of Rural Development.

The festival will take place at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, from 21 November to 8 December 2026, spanning 18 days. It will provide a platform for rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs), particularly women entrepreneurs, to connect directly with urban consumers.

Visitors can expect to explore regional cuisines and traditional food products representing different parts of India, alongside products created by rural enterprises. The broader SARAS initiative showcases regional products including natural and organic products, handlooms and handicrafts, while the Food Festival places particular emphasis on India's diverse culinary traditions.

Key Highlights

• 🍲 Regional and traditional Indian cuisines

• 🌾 Rural and local food products

• 👩‍🍳 Women-led Self-Help Group enterprises

• 🛍️ Direct shopping from rural producers

• 🇮🇳 Culinary and cultural diversity from across India

• 🎨 Traditional arts, crafts and cultural experiences

• 🤝 Direct connection between rural producers and urban consumers

The festival is intended not only as a food and cultural experience but also as a market-access platform for rural entrepreneurs. SARAS events help participating SHGs improve their visibility and access to consumers while supporting capacity building in areas such as packaging, branding and marketing.

For visitors, this makes the festival relevant to food lovers, families, tourists, culture enthusiasts and people interested in discovering authentic regional products and supporting local enterprises.