The Tamil Mahabharatams

Have you heard about the Tamil Mahabharatams? Although the physical locales of the Mahabharata are primarily located in north India, there's more than one version in Tamil.

Researcher Vijaya Ramaswamy says that the epic reached south India somewhere in the early Christian era (corresponding to late Sangam period). The earliest Tamil version is by the Sangam poet Perunthevanar, who wrote something called Bharatam referring to the Pandava-Kaurava war. But this version has not survived.

The next oldest version appears in the 9th century, when a version of Bharatam was written in the Pallava Kingdom (during the rule of Nandivarman III). It was in "Champu" style, which is a mix of prose and poetry.

In the 10th century, the Pandya king Rajasimha commissioned another version in Tamil. Further in 14th century, Villiputturar wrote a version called Villi Bharatam. This is the version used in Villupaatu, one of Tamil Nadu's folk performances (featured in the photo).

Villupaattu performance in progress, photo by Praveenp [Public domain]

The Villi Bharatam ends with Ashwathama killing Draupadi's children. After that, the same Villi Bharatam was extended by two poets called Nallapillai and Murugapillai who added 11,000 poems in the 1800's. You can see several Villipatu performances even now on youtube; and there are often performances on televisions as well.

Also, somewhere in 16th century, yet another version emerged, written by Pugazhendi Pulavar, which is also used in folk versions and performances of the Mahabharata.

As the epic travelled into Tamil Nadu, local stories began to incorporate Mahabharata characters - thus for example, we have the story of Alli and Arjuna (about which more later!). 

Garuda Purana and the democratization of knowledge production

The Garuda Purana, composed in Sanskrit, contains 16000 verses, dealing with an incredibly diverse collection of topics.

It covers cosmology, mythology, salvation theory, ethics, Hindu philosophical schools, theory of Yoga, ancestral rites, rivers and geography, types of minerals and stones, testing methods for gems for their quality, listing of plants and herbs, disease symptoms and medicines, astronomy, astrology, architecture, grammar, literature classification etc.

It also includes statecraft and more practical matters such as charity and gift making, economy, thrift, duties of a king, politics, state officials and their roles, and how to appoint officials. Lastly, it also covers personal development and self awareness through Sankhya and Advaita Yoga.

The text is attributed to the legendary sage Vyasa, in the absence of clear authorship. It is believed to have been first composed at least a thousand years ago, with the core being even older. The versions that survive today contain different lengths and different sets of scriptures, pointing to diverse authorship over time as it gained popularity.

Garuda Vahana, at Chennai airport, a beautiful wooden sculpture 
used for temple processions. It is likely from Tanjore.

One of India's unique features is the way in which many of our scriptures co-opt and include multiple authors. Imagine a book, with many chapters by different writers, all of whom help to grow the book continuously over centuries. As it spreads, more chapters appear, more commentaries and discussions take place, and diverse versions grow and become popular in different parts of the land. The closest parallel is a river, with a single origin but which branches into thousands of tributaries, ending in many lakes and ponds, and watering many fertile lands as it goes along. One could also draw a parallel to the way the internet functions, democratizing the production and dissemination of knowledge. In the case of scriptures, the dissemination takes place in thousands of sabhas and temples, where readings and recitations bring different versions to the people. Confusing? Yes. That is the nature of a cooperative effort at knowledge production. But it is also very appealing, that there is no "one book", no single authority.

#hinduliterature
#magictoursofindia
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Curry Leaves chutney (Karuvepallai Thuvaiyal)

The problem with ordering curry leaves online is that you have more leaves than you know what to do with. Meenakshi Ammal came to my rescue with "Cook and See" (Samaithu Paar), the go-to recipe book for all Tamil kitchens.

I made Karuveppalai Thuvaiyal, a thick coarsely ground chutney of curry leaves, tamarind, red chillies, urad dal, mustard and asafoetida. Curry leaves pack a wallop in terms of nutrition. They contain calcium, phosphorous, irons and vitamins (C, A, B, E). But the damn thing can be bitter, so Meenakshi Ammal advises using tender leaves and enough spices to offset it. The asafoetida, tamarind and mustard give it a kick, the red chillies and salt give it bite. I didn't have tender leaves, so I cheated and added a teeny bit of sugar. Shhhhh. No one will know! 

- 4 big handfuls of leaves (only one handful is on the plate in the photo) 

-Marble sized tamarind 8 red chillies 

- 2 teaspoons urad dal 

- 3/4 teaspoon mustard 

- Hing (asafoetida to taste) 

 Wash leaves. Fry chillies, mustard and lentils in oil. Grind with tamarind, salt, hing. 

Pro tip: grind masalas coarsely and then add the leaves to grinder. This one works best if ground by hand on a stone, the old fashioned way. The mixer doesn't quite help with the sort of coarse consistency you want. I ended up doubling the urad dal because I wanted more of that lentil feel. I also added sugar like I said, and a twist of lime because I thought the tamarind was not tamarindy enough. 

If you'd like to learn how to make a range of pickles, preserves and chutneys, we have workshops in Mumbai, Bangalore  and Chennai.

CCIE at Temple Towers, Nandanam, Chennai

The government run Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE) is a great place to buy crafts and textiles from all over India. Service is excellent and prices are fixed and fair. 

Bought a lot of block print textiles. Loved their small collection of Bengal kantha work and tant. A very nice ikat section also. Bought couple of sarees. Applique, block printed and embroidered section of bedsheets, bedcovers, pillows also nice; bought white and blue bedspread for daughter. Their section of kalamkari artwork is lovely and they have handpainted kalamkari sarees and dupattas also. A good place to visit if you are in Chennai. Posters of Gandhi and many nowadays "old fashioned" quotes are there.

How to identify CCIE: The logo is the Bankura horse. See website. http://www.cottageemporium.in/ Beware of similar sounding fake names. Too many of those trying to fool tourists and locals! 

Adyar Food Walk - Filter Coffee

In large parts of south India, the best part of the day is the early morning cup of filter coffee :) 

It is drunk in a 'tumbler and davarah'. The tumbler is the glass, and the davarah the bottom container. An important part of the process is pouring the coffee back and forth, between the tumbler and davarah. This helps to mix the sugar, milk and coffee decoction; while also cooling it to the right temperature. More importantly, it aerates the coffee to produce froth, without introducing any additional water into it (Western-style espresso machines use a steam wand to produce froth). 

Coffee is not native to India. It came from Yemen, smuggled into south India by a Sufi mystic named Baba Budan. He planted them in the Chandragiri hills of Karnataka (in the Chikmaglur district). The hills have since then been renamed in his honour.

The southern Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamilnadu account for most of the coffee grown. Coffee is usually inter-cropped with pepper, cardamom, banana, arecanut, orange and vanilla. 

Parama Padam: The 'Snakes and Ladders' of India

Snakes and Ladders originated in India as part of a family of dice board games. It was called Mokshapat or Moksha Patamu. Like many other things in India, this one also has religious background, and represents the ascent to Vaikunta or Paramapadam, the Supreme Abode of Lord Vishnu. It is most popularly played by people trying to stay awake on the holy night of Vaikunta Ekadasi. You can buy it in shops near Vishnu temples.

This one is from Giri Stores in Mylapore.



The game made its way to England and was sold as "Snakes and Ladders", then the basic concept was introduced in the United States as "Chutes and Ladders".

Food Walk through Adyar

We're very excited to announce our latest food tour in Chennai - Food Walk through Adyar :)

Walk with us through the quiet (and sometimes not so quiet!) bylanes of this neighbourhood.

Sample some traditional South Indian delicacies at iconic, local establishments.

Check our facebook album for more!

Of coconut oil and lighthouses

Coconuts are everywhere in Chennai. If you look at the city skyline, you'll spot some coconut trees for sure. If you wander through the bazaars, you'll find coconuts being sold. And if you peep into kitchens you'll find coconuts in chutneys, sambars, and a zillion other dishes.

But I didn't know it was coconut oil that lit up the beacons of the old lighthouses of Chennai. Man! That must have taken a lot of coconuts! 

Until the 1700's, there were no lighthouses in Chennai. The fisherwomen lit bonfires on the beach, to guide their menfolk back home from their fishing expeditions (I bet they used coconut fronds for the bonfires).

As Chennai became a big trading centre under the East India Company, merchant ships began to feel the need for a 'proper' lighthouse.

The tallest building in Fort St George at the time was the steeple of St Mary's (which you can see in the photo below). But the chaplain didn't want a lighthouse in the church.

So a large oil-wick lantern was installed on the terrace of the officer's mess in 1796, and became the first lighthouse of Chennai.

Fort St George on the Coromandel Coast, Jan Van Ryne (1712–60)

The officer's mess building where the lighthouse was installed, is now the Fort Museum, and you can visit it if you go to Fort St George. The building is not very tall; so Chennai's first lighthouse ended up being only 99 feet above sea level (see photo). 

The old officers mess, which later became the museum

Like I said, the lighthouse used coconut oil for fuel. I was surprised to learn that the light from 12 coconut oil lamps could be seen even 25 miles from the shore.  

It turns out that coconut oil gives a clear white flame. Country mirrors were used as reflectors to intensify the light for signalling ships.

This coconut-fuelled lighthouse continued to function for nearly 50 years. What a lot of coconut oil they must have used up !! :) :) 

Eventually in 1841, a new lighthouse location came up, at what is now the High Court. This lighthouse used an Argand lamp, which was basically a better designed oil-lamp where with just one wick you could get the amount of light of 7 candles. Parabolic reflectors behind the lamp would further boost and concentrate the output.

The Argand lamp provided a smokeless, brighter flame; but its oil consumption was greater. Still more coconut oil :)

Here is a photo of the second lighthouse, which used the Argand lamp.  This lighthouse is now inside the High Court premises and is a protected monument.

Second Lighthouse in Madras, Frederick Fiebig c.1851

The second lighthouse continued to be used for almost 50 years, until 1894, when a third lighthouse was built. The tallest dome of the High Court was used as the third lighthouse, which you can see in this photo:

By this time, electricity had still not arrived. The third lighthouse used kerosene, and thus ended a century of coconut oil lighthouses :)

Nachiyar Amman shrine in Chennai

I photographed this gorgeous idol of the folk goddess Nachiamman or Nachiyar Amman on Badrian Street in Chennai. The idol was housed in a little shrine and the flower seller women were offering their prayers to her. 

Nachiamma is one of the benevolent forms of the goddess, said to bestow good health and prosperity on her worshippers. 

I was struck by the alangaaram of the idol (decoration). She is depicted with beautiful dark eyes, with a smiling countenance. Her forehead is smeared with three lines of ash, and the auspicious red kungumam is prominently placed in the middle. Her nose-rings and round heavy olai (ear-rings) speak clearly of her folk origins.

Even though she is benevolent, her power is clearly visible in the sword, axe and trident which she holds. A halo of flames is around her head.  She is dressed in a golden silk saree, with a green border. The flower-sellers in the market have adorned her with fresh garlands.

Below this relatively new idol, there is an old black granite idol - possibly the original one that was established in this shrine. Offerings of flowers, coconuts, neem leaves and lemons have been made as per the usual practice in such goddess temples. In front of the idol is an image of the lion / tiger, which is the mount of the goddess.

I photographed this elderly flower seller as she came out of the temple after offering prayers. To me, she looked like the goddess herself, come to life.

- Photos and text by Deepa Krishnan

Our Chennai food tour featured in World Travel Guide!

Hooray! Our Chennai Home Cooking tour got featured in the World Travel Guide!

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/chennai-madras/tours-excursions

The World Travel Guide is published by Columbus Travel Media Ltd., a UK based specialist company which has been in the business of providing travel information for over 30 years. Their online travel website is more than 15 years old, covering all continents.

The guide is published in four languages - English, German, Spanish and French.

Here is the tour that they reviewed: http://chennaimagic.com/cooking-chennai-tour.html

Fort St. George, Chennai, is 375 years old today

Fort St George is 375 years old today. Much has changed in the fort: the sea no longer laps at the fort walls. But here is what the fort looked like in the mid 1700s. You can see the British flag flying on top.

A Perspective View of Fort St George on the Coromandel Coast, belonging to the East India Company, copper engraving by the Dutch engraver Jan van Ryne in the mid 1700s; later printed for J. Hinton at the King's Arms in Newgate Street

As you can see from the photo, the natural harbour was quite shallow. Ships had to anchor over 1 km offshore, and cargo was brought to the shore in small catamarans and 'masula' boats. Cargo losses were high - the masulas in fact usually had 2 men on board to constantly bale out water! Pilferage was also a big problem. In the painting below, you can get a closer look at these masula boats, and challenges of bringing valuable goods onshore in the rough water. Visiting Europeans were also hoisted onshore on top of the fishermen's shoulders :D :D

South East View of Fort St George, Madras, by Thomas Daniell in 1797, photo from the British Library

Naturally, there was a crying need for a proper dock/pier. Efforts began in the late 1700s, but funding was scarce, and building efforts in the first half of 1800's didn't work well. There were multiple problems, year after year, mainly due to the annual storms. But a working port was established in the second half of the 1800's, and the sea began to recede from the fort.

Under Francis Spring, the first Chairman of Madras Port, major changes were done between 1905 and 1911. Mainly, the entrance of the port was shifted from the eastern side, to the norh eastern side, which provided better protection from the elements. Land was reclaimed from the sea, docks and quays were built, and during this process, the sea was pushed further away from Fort St George. A big road came up between the fort and sea (Rajaji Salai, which was called North Beach Road). 

Today when we drive on Rajaji Salai from San Thome, we see Marina Beach to our right, and Fort George appears to our left. The docks are to our right, but all of it is not clearly visible from the road. To the north of the fort is 'Black Town', which was the residential and bazaar area where Indians lived. You can understand it better by seeing the map below:

Between the fort and the sea, there is now at least a kilometer of land.

If you are driving past that area today, stop and take a look at the fort walls. You'll see the Indian tricolour flying high!

Everything is divine - a lesson from a Chennai pavement

While walking to Besant Nagar, I saw this by the roadside. Just a regular stone, possibly a milestone marker.

Someone had anointed it, and offered worship. With the drawing of the 3 lines, the Stone became Shiva.

Thus are gods born. And thus I learnt that the divine is everywhere, if only we develop the ability to see it.

I am not particularly religious, but instinctively I can sense the truth, that the essence of everything in the universe is the same. Stone, flower, bird, animal, water, land, air....ultimately as we look deeper and deeper into each of these, the differences melt away.

The Salt-Pan Workers of Tamil Nadu

On our way from Chennai to Pondicherry, we saw sea salt being manufactured. 

Sunny hot days like this are essential for salt production. There is no work in the rains. The majority of people work as wage earners in saltpans and do not have any influence within the salt value chain. 

Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of salt in India, next only to Gujarat. There are around 60,000 salt workers in Tamil Nadu, on which nearly 80% work directly in the salt pans. The remaining 20% work in loading, packing and transport.

The total annual income per household in the range of Rs.10000, with both husband and wife working on the saltpan. Women are paid lower wages than men for the same work. The work is mainly seasonal, with very little options for off-season alternate livelihoods. Usually salt pan workers are neck deep in debt. Interest rates on loans (from informal sources) is around 60% per annum.

The manufacturing processes is very labour intensive, in very hot and windy conditions for most part of the day. Most workers have problems related to eye sight due to reflections of sunlight from the salt crystals. Work begins early in the morning, and children are left behind at home. Most children of the community do not have access to schooling or healthcare.

The industry is also highly disaster-prone, experiencing frequent threats of cyclones and high tidal waves.

The Paintings of Y. G. Srimati

Y.G. Srimati (1927-2007) was a painter from Madras. She studied graphics in the Art Student League, New York, in 1964-66. She exhibited her works in various shows (single and group shows). A number of her works are in the New York Public Library, the Smithsonian Institute and the Library of Congress. Apart from painting, Srimati was also a talented vocalist, and learnt both Hindustani and Carnatic styles. She played the veena, as well as several other instruments.

Here are some of her watercolours: the figures are tall and slender, and reminiscent of the wall murals at Ajanta.

Shiva Nataraja (1945)

Kali (1990)

Eklavya practicing archery (1945-46)

Parashurama (1946)

Triumph of Labour, Marina Beach, Chennai

This is the earliest statue put up on Marina Beach for beautifying the promenade.

It is called the Triumph of Labour, and represents four men working hard, trying to move a rock. In 1923, the first ever May Day rally for workers' rights was held in nearby Triplicane. The Triumph of Labour commemorates that rally. It was erected in 1959.

The sculptor is Debi Prasad Ray Choudhury, who was born in what is now Bangladesh; he moved to Madras as the Superintendent of the Madras School of Art.

Banana leaf plates, Chennai

If you’ve ever googled South Indian meals, chances are you’ve come across a photo of the standard ‘banana leaf meal’ laden with rice, curries and a number of other colourful dishes.

Banana leaves are used as plates all over South India, especially in rural areas. They are available in plenty; because in literally every village household which has a compound, you'll find a couple of banana trees growing.

These leaves are a hygienic and convenient option. One just has to sprinkle some water and wipe the leaf - there is no fear of unclean utensils. Banana leaves are always used at religious ceremonies, such as the wedding meal in the photo above. As you can see, for this kind of feast, you need a large plate! The size of the leaf and its ability to hold so many dishes is very useful!

Here's another photo, from the Sowcarpet area market in Chennai. You can see how the long leaves are converted to plates by expertly slicing them.

The unused edges are converted into smaller plates, typically used for "tiffin" items. Here's another shop in the same market, selling leaf plates:

Banana leaves are the preferred wrapping case for carrying food while travelling. Tamarind rice, curd rice, idlis, vadas, dosas, chutney - everything is packed in banana leaves and carried on train and bus journeys. These leaves keep the food from spoiling; they are easy to throw away, and light to carry.

Unfortunately, these ‘green’ plates are fast disappearing from homes and restaurants, and being replaced by metal and plastic.

Molagapodi, homestyle

Yesterday we made molagapodi at home.

There are many variations in the recipes, but no matter what variation, this is definitely Chennai's favourite lentil powder. Go to any Tamil house and you'll find people happily eating idli and dosa dunked in molagapodi and oil. My house is no exception :)

Typically, urad dal, channa dal, and sesame are ground together, with dry red chillies and asafoetida. Each ingredient is roasted separately before grinding.

But really, you can pretty much experiment with adding other lentils if you wish. We added a little bit of tuar dal and moong dal to the batch we made yesterday, and we skipped the sesame. It turned out pretty yummy.

As long as you get the proportion of chillies, asafoetida and salt ok, all these lentils can be combined in any way you want, to make an awesome powder.

There are lots of recipes online if you google for it.

Neem flower on Tamil New Year's Day

Today is the New Year for many parts of India: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab, Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Mizoram etc.

In Tamil Nadu, one of the ways we celebrate the festival is by making a dish with neem flowers.

Vepampoo or neem flower is known for its curative properties and the dish we make with it has all tastes - bitter (neem), sweet (usually jaggery), sour (usually tamarind), spicy (chillies) and salty.

Telugu New Year Feasting in Chennai

Ugadi or Telugu New Year was celebrated today. A traditional banana leaf spread with all the yummy festival dishes. Special dishes are made with flavors of sweetness and bitterness to depict the ups and downs of life!

Silver shopping in Mylapore, Chennai

Sukra Jewellery, near Rasi Silks, Mylapore. This is my sister's haul, she was wearing it today and I photographed it. Totally drool-worthy!

If you haven't already seen it, do take a look at the CHENNAI MAGIC SHOPPING GUIDE.

Suba and I have suggested shops for fabrics, jewellery, curios, and all sorts of other things. I'm sure you'll love it! We are updating it every now and then with new items, so please pop in regularly and take a look.

If you have not been to this area of Chennai before, try our Mylapore Walk. It offers a great introduction to this religious and cultural epicenter of the people of Chennai.

During this walk, you will visit the Kapaleeswara temple in the company of our knowledgeable guide. You can also walk through the surrounding areas, where you can see Mylapore in all its crowded chaos. The jewellers, silk merchants, fruit and vegetable sellers and the flower vendors in the bazaars provide a colourful backdrop to the temple. The walk takes you through small lanes with old-style homes, through silk shops, stores selling music and religious memorablia, ‘kutcheri’ auditoriums, etc.

At the end of the tour, we stop at the popular Saravana Bhavan for snacks and coffee. More details here.