Bamboo chicken stalls by SHG women a major attraction en route Medaram

Devotees visiting Medaram Jathara can now savour Bamboo Chicken, a tribal dish, on their way to the main temple. Stalls of bamboo chicken, a healthy dish started in Maredumilli of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, were set up in different places en route Medaram. Two stalls each have been set up in Mulugu and Govindaraopeta in addition to six more stalls in Medaram itself.

The dish made by stuffing marinated chicken into hollow bamboo sticks and slow cooking it over fire that will infuse a smoky earthy flavour without oil resulting in juicy aromatic chicken, has been contemplated as source of revenue to Self Help Groups (SHG). These stalls were inaugurated by Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka recently.

The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty has initially given special training to 30 women of SHGs in the preparation of the delicacy. The preparation of the dish is likely to cost around ₹150 and the sale price is likely to be around ₹300 giving a profit of over ₹150 for every 250 gm of chicken sold. While benefitting the women, the stalls are aimed at providing healthy and tasty food to visitors of the Jathara.

Senior officials said a proposal to enhance the number of stalls and setting them up along the highways is under active consideration and the number of stalls and their locations will be finalised after conducting field studies. “These stalls are set to become a major attraction for visitors to the Medaram Jathara,” an official told The Hindu.