Mangaluru: Vegetables and flowers grown on a vast area were the cynosure of all eyes as the four-day Alva’s Krishi Siri, which exposes people to farming, unfolded on the eve of the three-day Alva’s Nudi Siri, a literary and cultural extravaganza, here on Thursday.

In addition, an exhibition on farm produces at the venue, named after late K.S. Puttanniah, Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha leader and former MLA, is attracting a large number of visitors.

N.H. Shivashankar Reddy, Minister for Agriculture, who inaugurated Krishi Siri, said the event boosted the confidence of farmers from across the State.

He said that when people in villages are drifting away from agriculture, Krishi Siri, organised by Alva’s Education Foundation, made such people to re-consider their move. It could also prompt non-farmers to take up farming in a small way. He congratulated the chairman of the foundation M. Mohan Alva for organising it.

The exhibition on farm produces introduces visitors to various types of tubers, varieties of paddy, nuts, fruits, leafy vegetables, cereals, pulses, chillies, medicinal plants, and the like.

One can see Andaman lettuce, red and yellow capsicum, ‘jaede ananasu’ (pineapple with multiple crowns), varieties of coconut, arecanut, green chillies, and the like. Vegetable carving, exhibition of art works made by dry coconuts also draws the attention of visitors at the venue. According to the organisers, about 90 varieties of vegetables and fruits have been grown on the venue for the purpose of the fourth edition of Krishi Siri.

Meanwhile, the 15th edition of Alva’s Nudisiri, organised by the foundation, will begin here on Friday with a focus on diversity of Karnataka.

Researcher Sha. Shettar will inaugurate it and writer and researcher Mallika S. Ghanti will preside over the three-day convention. There will be film shows on all three days from Friday.

The event would have four main literary sessions — on the literary, ‘adhyatma’, multi-lingual, and folk traditions of Karnataka. There will be kavi goshti, classical and folk dance, Yakshagana, classical music, folk music, singing of ranga geethes, harikathe and other events.