Powered by Shakti, V’pura women build a successful weekend market in B’luru

Vijayapura: A group of women from Babalad village in Vijayapura district has found a unique way to market value-added products such as jolada rotti, shenga chutney, laddus and other traditional foods at a weekend market in Bengaluru.

Every Saturday evening, they travel by bus to the city to sell their products.Impressed by their initiative, the Karnataka Kalyana Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) modified the Indi–Bengaluru bus route to pass through Babalad. The women prepare food items during the week and sell them in Bengaluru on Sundays, travelling free of cost under the Shakti scheme. Around 60 women are now earning a livelihood and supporting their families through the venture.Bhuvaneshwari Kambale, who founded the Odaladhvani group along with her associates, told TOI that around 20 women in Babalad village took up organic farming in 2024 to move away from chemical fertilisers and promote healthy food. “We were growing organic grains and selling them in the market, but the income was not enough. We then decided to add value to our produce by making jolada rotti, holige, chutney, laddus and other products.

However, there was little demand for these items in our local market because most people prepare them at home.

We then decided to take our products to Bengaluru. After visiting a few organic markets there, we received a positive response,” she said.Other members of the group, including Rajashri Makhanapur, Laxmi Dravid and Sangeeta Mayur, said that another 20 women joined them in 2025, with some bringing fresh vegetables for sale.

“We pack the products carefully in boxes and bags. We now run the Bisi Rotti Café at the Raagi Kana Organic Market in Bengaluru. We leave our village every Saturday evening and return on Sunday night,” they said.Narayanappa Kurubar, who served as KKRTC’s Vijayapura divisional controller last year, recalled that the women initially faced difficulties travelling to Bengaluru with their luggage while boarding buses at Indi or Horti.

“Their efforts in rural entrepreneurship reached then transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, who directed us to operate a bus via Babalad in May 2025. We also instructed the bus crew to assist the women and accommodate their luggage in the bus dicky,” he said.Indu Hosamani, Bharati Hosamani and Mallamma Halli said each of them now earns around Rs 7,000 every Sunday. “We get good prices for our products in Bengaluru. From Monday to Saturday, we are engaged in poultry farming, animal husbandry, dairy activities, food preparation and other work.

The Raagi Kana Organic Market team supports us by providing marketing training and utensils for the café. The other vendors in the market also treat us well,” they said.Indi MLA Yashwantrayagouda Patil said the women of Babalad have become role models in effectively utilising welfare schemes such as the Shakti free bus travel programme. “Recognising their efforts, former chief minister Siddaramaiah invited them to Bengaluru and felicitated them. They have demonstrated how rural entrepreneurship can strengthen the rural economy and have become the pride of our constituency,” he said.