We’ve heard poems describing the beauty of the Konkan, but an entire festival that celebrates the region and its inhabitants can make for an interesting, insightful initiative. In its fourth edition, the annual Kokan Mela 2023 is a great platform to showcase its culture — from its cuisine to its lifestyle.

Organised by Bashir Hajwani Foundation with Kokani Community Forum and Kokan Cultural Foundation, the three-day mela returns after a two-year hiatus on the historical Anjuman-i-Islam’s MH Saboo Siddiq Polytechnic Ground with parallel sessions including a job fair, matrimonial meet, and doctors’ and lawyers’ meet. The idea behind this, says the foundation’s chairman, Bashir Hajwani, is to make it more than just a congregation where people meet, eat and visit the mela. “This programme intends to connect the new generation to the customs and culture of the Koknis, as well as aims to assist those who seek a job or alliance, or need help. Thirty free stalls have been reserved for the talented who can’t afford the fee.”