GOYA hosted Khajoornama in partnership with Bruijn ,as part of the India Art Fair’s Young Collectors Programme at Triveni Kala Sangam, gathering around a shared table to trace the journey of the date across the Indian subcontinent. Entering through the Malabar coastline, the date travelled inland along trade routes, finding place in regional kitchens, ritual practices, and royal cuisines before arriving in cultivation landscapes in contemporary Rajasthan. The grazing table, designed by Chef Taiyaba Ali, featured Bandel Khajoor Chop, Kurukku Kalan, Kharak Samosa, and Walnut Date Fudge.
The conversation invited participants to taste history and reflect on how ingredients continue to shape how, and what, we eat today, moving gently between cultural histories, agricultural realities, and culinary interpretation, led by political scientist Dr Sucharita Sengupta and farm aggregator Ajit Singh Batra. Ajit emphasised the role of labour, soil and seasonal cycles in producing the best-quality ingredients while Suchitra showcased how flavours are shaped by land, history, and culture.
Structured as an installation and grazing table, the table transformed into an archive of trade histories, harvest traditions, craft practices, and modern culinary expressions.