Jammu: In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the well-known Kalari from the Udhampur District will be served at the G20 Summit being held in Srinagar next week, as a special Dogra culinary item. This initiative has been taken by the Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory to promote the Kalari on a global scale. Women in the district of Udhampur have been producing Kalari for decades, selling it at the market to make a living, but they haven’t achieved fame on a national or international scale.
Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (UMEED) has given Kalari a new lease on life, and after joining the organisation, women now make more money from their produce. Many women who are part of a self-help group in the Dheeran village of Udhampur district, which is sponsored by UMEED, now prepare large quantities of Kalaris at home and are now getting good prices for their produce. Sonia Rajput, a member of a self-help group and a Kalari maker, said that they are all very thrilled that their Kalari is now quickly gaining international fame. She said, “Right now, we are preparing a sizable number of Kalaris for the G20 Meeting, which will take place in Srinagar soon.”
