Buying Fresh Sugarcane Juice From A Wooden Machine in Rural India

During the annual Amartithi festival in rural India, tons of vendors set up expecting thousands of visitors in what is usually a deserted area. One of the best ways to keep refreshed and hydrated in the heat is with fresh sugarcane juice sold by vendors making it on the spot with wooden machines.

The town of Meherabad in the state of Maharashtra hosts 10,000 – 12,000 overnight visitors, and 25,000 – 30,000 daytime visitors, from all over the world during a three-day program in celebration of Amartithi.

Amartithi is the day which commemorates Meher Baba’s death on 31 January 1969.

Even though it occurs in January, warm weather during the day calls for a refreshing drink such as a freshly made sugarcane juice.

How the sugarcane juice is made

Sugarcane ready to go in between the things that squeeze the heck out of it.

Sugarcane in.

Now the workers push around the mast of the sugarcane machine to squeeze the juice out.

There are two of them. Are they competing against each other?

Hustle and bustle around the sugarcane juice machine.

Teamwork.

And done. See the lady on the left pouring some into a glass?

Other refreshing options

If you’re not into sugarcane you can get some fresh orange juice.

Or some ice cream!

Or a free taste of some real fruit paste with exotic Indian flavors.

And if none of the fruity stuff satisfies you, this happy fellow can get you some crunchy savory snacks instead.

So which food item is your pick?