The kulo, dala and sundry items of decor are already up on display at the food court of Mani Square but the wait is till April 8. That is when Baisakhi Blast 2025 will bring the bill down to Rs 99 for a plethora of items served on the third floor of the 16-year-old mall.

The annual carnival, which is synonymous with pocket-friendly helpings in the run-up to Nava Varsha, is in its 17th edition. It will run from April 8 till 14, with a gap in between. “We are leaving out April 13 from the carnival calendar as Sunday is crowded enough,” said Sudarshana Gangulee, director, Mani Group. In fact, it is to avoid an overlap with the Eid festivity footfall that the Baisakhi Blast was pushed back by a couple of days. “In other years, we start around April 5,” she said.

The food carnival is so popular that one year she recalls having to stop the programmes on request from the police. “The service road had got clogged till Apollo Hospitals.”

There is a reason why the carnival is a draw. For Rs 99, one can pick up curated items from any of the 14 food court counters. So if KFC is offering Hot and Crispy or Smoky Grilled Chicken, Tea Junction has a Chicken Puff and Masala Chai combination. All three Wow! outlets are participating, offering Chinese, momo and chicken items. Mix & Match serves a variety of chaat, which can be washed down with Masala Nimbu Paani. Kebabs are on offer at The Tandoori Startup — paneer or Spicy Chicken Patty along with a glass of cola. Coffee World has milkshakes and mocktails alongside pizza and burger, each item priced the same Rs 99. There are games and surprise gifts all day long.

Baisakhi Blast is treat not just for the pocket and the palate. There are audio offerings as well in the form of music every afternoon, with bands like Poyla Rock, Tandav and Pranjal N Roots participating. Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2023 winner Ashmita Kar will also perform on the open-air stage in front of the mall.