A massive 210-kg chocolate structure shaped like the Nilgiri mountain range has emerged as the main attraction at the Ooty Chocolate Festival, leaving visitors impressed and delighted.
The 15-day festival began on Sunday at the M and N Museum in Ooty as part of the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The inauguration ceremony featured the unveiling of the chocolate mountain, which drew wide appreciation from tourists and locals
alike.
Homemade chocolates are among the most sought-after products in the Nilgiris, along with Ooty varki, eucalyptus balm and tea powder. The region’s cool climate is considered ideal for chocolate-making.
These chocolates are prepared by grinding cocoa beans sourced from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, blended with cocoa butter and cane sugar, and are popular among both tourists and residents.
Managing directors of the M and N Museum, Abdul Rahman and Basalur Rahman, said that around 150 varieties of homemade chocolates are on display this year. The collection includes dark, milk and white chocolates prepared using almonds, pistachios, cashews and raisins.
They said the special highlight of this year’s festival is chocolates made using locally available Nilgiris ingredients such as honey, tea, pepper and mushrooms.
The flavours range from sweet and sour to salty, bitter, pungent and astringent, attracting large numbers of visitors.The chocolate mountain crafted using 210 kg of chocolate has become a major crowd-puller. Tourists are enthusiastically purchasing chocolates priced between Rs. 60 and Rs. 10,000, the organisers said.
