In India food habits are closely associated with moral and medical beliefs. In fact traditional branch of medicines like the Ayurveda or the Unani strongly prophesied, "You are what you eat." With the advent of cross culturalism Indian food found several connoisseurs. The Indian food festivals organised throughout the nation took the popularity of the Indian cuisines one step further. Such events provided a golden opportunity to the gourmets to treat their taste buds with exotic, native as well as international dishes. Moreover one can lay his hand on an array of dishes under the same roof. As years fly by the popularity of Indian food festivals are increasing.

In contemporary India fusion food is in vogue. Whether it is at the eating outlets or in houses an eclectic approach is adopted as far as food is concerned. The Indian food festivals reflect this tradition as well. Cities like Kolkata, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and several others host food festivals for the food lovers. In most of these Indian cities the food festivals comprise the regional dishes, for instance, Goa is famous for its sea food. Hence the highlight of the Goa food festival would be an assortment of sea foods. In addition to the scrumptious regional cuisines the food lovers can also dig their teeth into fusion food. Several esteemed names in the hospitality industry take part in the Indian food festivals, bringing with them food items from almost all over the world, such as, Chinese, Mongolian, Italian, Mexican, et al.

Indian street foods are a big draw too. In cities like, Mumbai, street food festivals are held. Delicacies like pav bhaji, golgappe, chaat, sev puri, bhaaji and several other foods are being laid out in the stalls for the foodies to try them out. The appetizing aroma of these foods compels the visitors to taste them. Besides these, beverages also enjoy a special place in the Indian food culture. Tea festivals are organised in Assam, West Bengal and Sikkim. The best flavours of tea are picked from India`s finest tea gardens and presented before the visitors. Whilst one can sip in the refreshing beverages and breathe in their aroma, the tea festivals also promote trade and tourism. In fact, most of the Indian food festivals are instrumental in promoting tourism as well.

Cooking tips, cooking apparatus, crockery and cooking books are also part of the Indian food festivals. These food fairs provide the apt platform for launching new cooking equipments or a food product. Prestigious companies from the Indian food industry take part in such events. Thus, apart from mirroring the culture and tradition, these Indian fairs are perfect for mixing pleasure and business.

`The way to a man`s heart is through his stomach` and, for years, Indian food festivals have won the hearts of millions of visitors. For the Indians these provide a delightful opportunity to savor cuisines from different parts of the world. As far as the foreign visitors are concerned the Indian food festivals introduce them to the native culture of the land.