Couple's Rainbow Banana Stand Becomes Roadside Sensation

When travelers pass through rural Coimbatore, they slam on their brakes for an unexpected reason: bananas have never looked this beautiful.

S. Saravana Kumar and his wife S. Vennila run a roadside banana stand at Koothamandi Pirivu near Pethikuttai that looks more like an art installation than a fruit shop. Deep reddish-purple Sevvalai bananas hang next to dark green Pachanadan, contrasting with bright yellow Rasthali, Karpooravalli, and Poovan varieties.

The couple sources their fruit directly from local farmers in Sirumugai, where native banana varieties grow across vast cultivated areas. Each bunch arrives fresh and gets arranged with careful attention to create a visual feast that celebrates the natural diversity of this humble fruit.

Their aesthetic approach transformed a simple farm stand into a destination. People now pull over specifically to photograph and film the colorful displays before buying bananas by the bunch.

The shop caught wider attention when Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forests in Tamil Nadu, discovered it during a field visit. She posted photos on social media, calling it a "hidden banana paradise," and the couple's customer base exploded.

"People travelling to Bengaluru and other places purchase from us in large quantities," Vennila explained. Travelers stock up on the fresh, locally grown varieties for their journeys, knowing they're getting quality fruit while supporting area farmers.

The Ripple Effect

The couple's success sparked a mini banana boom in Sirumugai. Several other entrepreneurs noticed how thoughtful presentation and quality sourcing could turn ordinary roadside selling into thriving business, and they've opened similar stands in the area.

The trend benefits local banana farmers who now have multiple reliable buyers for their diverse native varieties. Instead of losing heritage banana types to commercial monoculture, these small farmers can profitably grow traditional varieties that might otherwise disappear.

Sometimes the simplest ideas create the biggest waves: buy local, display beautifully, and treat every customer to something worth stopping for.