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The document provides a detailed history of Tamil Nadu from prehistoric times to the medieval Chola dynasty. It describes how archaeological evidence shows Tamil Nadu was one of the earliest inhabited regions in India with human settlements dating back 300,000 years. It then summarizes the succession of kingdoms that ruled the state - from the Chera, Chola and Pandya dynasties during the Sangam period, to invasions by the Kalabhras and later rule by the Pallavas, Pandyas and resurgence of the Cholas between the 9th to 13th centuries when the state experienced extensive trade, cultural and temple construction activity under their patronage.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
287 views49 pages

Production

The document provides a detailed history of Tamil Nadu from prehistoric times to the medieval Chola dynasty. It describes how archaeological evidence shows Tamil Nadu was one of the earliest inhabited regions in India with human settlements dating back 300,000 years. It then summarizes the succession of kingdoms that ruled the state - from the Chera, Chola and Pandya dynasties during the Sangam period, to invasions by the Kalabhras and later rule by the Pallavas, Pandyas and resurgence of the Cholas between the 9th to 13th centuries when the state experienced extensive trade, cultural and temple construction activity under their patronage.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 49

A Project Report on Tamil Nadu Cruise

Chapter 1
Introduction

Tamil Nadu is literally 'The Land of Tamils' or 'Tamil Country' is one of the 29 states

of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai (formerly known as Madras). Tamil Nadu lies

in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union

territory of Puducherry and the South Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra

Pradesh. It is bounded by the Eastern Ghats on the north, by the Nilgiri, the Anamalai Hills,

and Kerala on the west, by the Bay of Bengal in the east, by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk

Strait on the southeast, and by the Indian Ocean on the south. The state shares a maritime

border with the nation of Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu is the eleventh-largest state in India by area and the sixth-most populous.

The state was ranked sixth among states in India according to the Human Development

Index in 2011, and is the third-largest state economy in India with $13,842

billion (US$210 billion) in gross domestic product after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Tamil Nadu was ranked as one of the top seven developed states in India based on a

"Multidimensional Development Index" in a 2013 report published by the Reserve Bank of

India. Its official language is Tamil, which is one of the longest-surviving classical

languages in the world.

Tamil Nadu is home to many natural resources. In addition, its people have developed

and continue to develop classical arts, classical music, and classical literature. The state is

also home to a number of historic buildings and religious sites including Hindu

temples of Tamil architecture, historic hill stations, multi-religious pilgrimage sites, and

eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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1.1 History of Tamil Nadu


Archaeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous

habitations in the Indian peninsula In Attirampakkam, archaeologists from the Sharma Centre

for Heritage Education excavated ancient stone tools which suggests that humanlike

population exists in the Tamil Nadu region somewhere around 300,000 ago before homo

sapiens arrived from Africa. In Adichanallur, 24 km (15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists

from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed 169 clay urns containing human

skulls, skeletons, bones, husks, grains of rice, charred rice and celts of the Neolithic period,

3,800 years ago. The ASI archaeologists have proposed that the script used at that site is

"very rudimentary" Tamil Brahmi. Adichanallur has been announced as an archaeological

site for further excavation and studies.[20] About 60 per cent of the total epigraphical

inscriptions found by the ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu, and most of these are in

the Tamil language.

A new study of Indigenous Australian DNA suggests there was some form of

migration from India to Australia about 4,000 years ago. Genetic evidence suggests that just

over 4 millennia ago a group of Indian travellers landed in Australia and stayed. The evidence

emerged a few years ago after a group of Aboriginal men’s Y chromosomes matched with Y

chromosomes typically found in Indian men. The study found a pattern of SNPs that is found

in genetics of Dravidian speakers from South India.

A Neolithic stone celt (a hand-held axe) with the Indus script on it was discovered at

Sembian-Kandiyur near Mayiladuthuraiin Tamil Nadu. According to epigraphist Iravatham

Mahadevan, this was the first datable artefact bearing the Indus script to be found in Tamil

Nadu. According to Mahadevan, the find was evidence of the use of the Harappan language,

and therefore that the "Neolithic people of the Tamil country spoke a Harappan language".

The date of the celt was estimated at between 1500 BCE and 2000 BCE.

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The early history of the people and rulers of Tamil Nadu is a topic in Tamil literary

sources known as Sangam literature. Numismatic, archaeological and literary sources

corroborate that the Sangam period lasted for about six centuries, from 300 BC to AD 300.

The recent excavations in Alagankulam archaeological site suggests that Alagankulam is one

of the important trade centre or port city in Sangam Era.

Three dynasties, namely the Chera, Chola and Pandya, ruled the area of present-day

Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Chera ruled the whole of present-day Kerala and parts of

western Tamil Nadu comprising Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Karur, Salem and Erodedistricts

from the capital of Vanchi Muthur (thought to be modern day Karur). The Chola

dynasty ruled the northern and central parts of Tamil Nadu from their capital, Uraiyur; and

the Pandya dynasty ruled southern Tamil Nadu, from capitals at Korkaiand Madurai.

All three dynasties had extensive trade relationships with Rome, Greece,

Egypt, Ceylon, Phoenicia, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. Trade flourished in commodities

such as spices, ivory, pearls, beads and gems. Chera traded extensively from Muzirison the

west coast, Chola from Arikamedu and Puhar and Pandya through Korkai port. A Greco-

Roman trade and travel document, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. AD 60 – 100) gives

a description of the Tamil country and its ports.

Besides these three dynasties, the Sangam era Tamilakam (Tamil homeland) was also

divided into various provinces named 'nadu', meaning 'country'. Sangam literature refers

these provinces as "koduntamil mandalam" which were not exactly political or socio-cultural

units but linguistic agglomerations like Kongu Nadu, Puzhinadu, Thondai

Nadu, Nanjilnadu, Ay Nadu and Venadu.

Between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD, the three Tamil kingdoms were overwhelmed

by the Kalabhras. The period of their rule is sometimes referred to as the "Dark Age"

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in Tamil history and little is known about it. The Kalabhras were expelled by

the Pallavas, Mutharaiyar, Badami Chalukyas and Pandyas in the 6th century.

The Bhakti movement originated in Tamil speaking region of South India and spread

northwards through India. The Bhakti Movement was a rapid growth of bhaktibeginning in

this region with the Saiva Nayanars (4th–10th centuries) and the Vaisnava Alvars who

spread bhakti poetry and devotion. The Alwars and Nayanmars were instrumental in

propagating the Bhakti tradition.

During the 4th to 8th centuries, Tamil Nadu saw the rise of the Pallava

dynasty under Mahendravarman I and his son Mamalla Narasimhavarman I. The Pallavas

ruled parts of South India with Kanchipuram as their capital. Tamil architecture reached its

peak during Pallava rule. Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple which is a UNESCO

World Heritage Site.

Much later, the Pallavas were replaced by the Chola dynasty as the dominant kingdom

in the 9th century and they in turn were replaced by the Pandyan Dynasty in the 13th century.

The Pandyan capital Madurai was in the deep south away from the coast. They had extensive

trade links with the south east Asian maritime empires of Srivijayaand their successors, as

well as contacts, even formal diplomatic contacts, reaching as far as the Roman Empire.

During the 13th century, Marco Polo mentioned the Pandyas as the richest empire in

existence. Temples such as the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai and Nellaiappar

Temple at Tirunelveli are the best examples of Pandyan temple architecture.[44] The Pandyas

excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the south coast

of India, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls in the known

ancient world.

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During the 9th century, the Chola dynasty was once again revived by Vijayalaya

Chola, who established Thanjavur as Chola's new capital by conquering central Tamil Nadu

from Mutharaiyar and the Pandya king Varagunavarman II. Aditya I and his son Parantaka

I expanded the kingdom to the northern parts of Tamil Nadu by defeating the last Pallava

king, Aparajitavarman. Parantaka Chola II expanded the Chola empire into what is now

interior Andhra Pradesh and coastal Karnataka, while under the great Rajaraja Chola and his

son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose to a notable power in south east Asia. Now the Chola

Empire stretched as far as Bengal and Sri Lanka. At its peak, the empire spanned almost

3,600,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular south India and

parts of Sri Lanka. Rajendra Chola's navy went even further, occupying coasts from Burma

(now ) to Vietnam, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya,

Philippines[45] in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala, the king of

Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda

Cholapuram.

The Cholas were prolific temple builders right from the times of the first medieval

king Vijayalaya Chola. These are the earliest specimen of Dravidian temples under the

Cholas. His son Aditya I built several temples around the Kanchi and Kumbakonam regions.

The Cholas went on to becoming a great power and built some of the most imposing religious

structures in their lifetime and they also renovated temples and buildings of the Pallavas,

acknowledging their common socio-religious and cultural heritage. The

celebrated Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and the Sri Ranganathaswami

Temple at Srirangam held special significance for the Cholas which have been mentioned in

their inscriptions as their tutelary deities. Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola built

temples such as the Brihadeshvara Temple of Thanjavurand Brihadeshvara

Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the Airavatesvara Temple of Darasuram and

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the Sarabeswara (Shiva) Temple, also called the Kampahareswarar Temple

at Thirubhuvanam, the last two temples being located near Kumbakonam. The first three of

the above four temples are titled Great Living Chola Temples among the UNESCO World

Heritage Sites.

The Muslim invasions of southern India triggered the establishment of the Hindu

Vijayanagara Empire with Vijayanagara in modern Karnataka as its capital. The

Vijayanagara Empire eventually conquered the entire Tamil country by c. 1370 and ruled for

almost two centuries until its defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by a confederacy

of Deccan sultanates. Subsequently, as the Vijayanagara Empire went into decline after the

mid-16th century, many local rulers, called Nayaks, succeeded in gaining the trappings of

independence. This eventually resulted in the further weakening of the empire; many Nayaks

declared themselves independent, among whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore were the

first to declare their independence, despite initially maintaining loose links with the

Vijayanagara kingdom.[44] The Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were the most

prominent of Nayaks in the 17th century. They reconstructed some of the well-known

temples in Tamil Nadu such as the Meenakshi Temple.

Power struggles of the 18th century (1692–1801)

By the early 18th century, the political scene in Tamil Nadu saw a major change-over and

was under the control of many minor rulers aspiring to be independent. The fall of the

Vijayanagara empire and the Chandragiri Nayakas gave the sultanate of Golconda a chance

to expand into the Tamil heartland. When the sultanate was incorporated into the Mughal

Empire in 1688, the northern part of current-day Tamil Nadu was administrated by the nawab

of the Carnatic, who had his seat in Arcot from 1715 onward. Meanwhile, to the south, the

fall of the Thanjavur Nayaks led to a short lived Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The fall of

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the Madurai Nayaks brought up many small Nayakars of southern Tamil Nadu, who ruled

small parcels of land called palayams. The chieftains of these Palayams were known

as Palaiyakkarar (or 'polygar' as called by British) and were ruling under the nawabs of the

Carnatic.

Europeans started to establish trade centres during the 17th century in the eastern coastal

regions. Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat, while the Danes had

their establishment in Tharangambadi also known as Tranquebar. In 1639, the British, under

the East India Company, established a settlement further south of Pulicat, in present-

day Chennai. British constructed Fort St. George[48] and established a trading post at

Madras. By 1693, the French established in trading posts at Pondichéry. The British and

French were competing to expand the trade in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu which also

witnessed many battles like Battle of Wandiwash as part of the Seven Years' War. British

reduced the French dominions in India to Puducherry. Nawabs of the Carnatic bestowed tax

revenue collection rights on the East India Company for defeating the Kingdom of Mysore.

Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah surrendered much of his territory to the East India Company

which firmly established the British in the northern parts. In 1762, a tripartite treaty was

signed between Thanjavur Maratha, Carnatic and the British by which Thanjavur became a

vassal of the Nawab of the Carnatic which eventually ceded to British.

In the south, Nawabs granted taxation rights to the British which led to conflicts between

British and the Palaiyakkarar, which resulted in series of wars called Polygar war to establish

independent states by the aspiring Palaiyakkarar. Puli Thevar was one of the earliest

opponents of the British rule in South India. Thevar's prominent exploits were his

confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later rebelled against the British in the late 1750s

and early 1760s. Rani Velu Nachiyar, was the first woman freedom fighter of India and

Queen of Sivagangai. She was drawn to war after her husband Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar

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(1750–1772), King of Sivaganga was murdered at Kalayar Kovil temple by British. Before

her death, Queen Velu Nachi granted powers to the Maruthu brothers to rule

Sivaganga. Kattabomman (1760–1799), Palaiyakkara chief of Panchalakurichi who fought

the British in the First Polygar War. He was captured by the British at the end of the war and

hanged near Kayattar in 1799. Veeran Sundaralingam (1700–1800) was the General of

Kattabomman Nayakan's palayam, who died in the process of blowing up a British

ammunition dump in 1799 which killed more than 150 British soldiers to save Kattapomman

Palace. Oomaithurai, younger brother of Kattabomman, took asylum under the Maruthu

brothers, Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu and raised an army. They formed a coalition

with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja which fought the British in

Second Polygar Wars. Dheeran Chinnamalai (1756–1805), Polygar chieftain of Kongu and

feudatory of Tipu Sultan who fought the British in the Second Polygar War. After winning

the Polygar wars in 1801, the East India Company consolidated most of southern India into

the Madras Presidency.

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Chapter 2

Culture and Famous Temples

2.1 Culture and Traditions of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is a southern state of India which is supremely rich in culture and heritage.

Known to be one of the oldest civilisations in the world, the people of Tamil Nadu belong to

the prestigious Dravidian Family. Tamilians also, like other South Indians, take much pride in

their rooted culture and make great efforts to protect their 2000 years old history. The state

has been ruled by the Cholas, Pandyas and the Pallavas and has been flourishing since. The

art and architecture have been their creations which are used and maintained even today.

People of Tamil Nadu

Out of 74 million Tamil people in the world, around 62 million live in Tamil Nadu. Rest of

the Tamilians are scattered in different parts of India and the world, mostly in the northeast of

Sri Lanka. People who live in the state understand the ethnicity of their culture and how it

marks their identity in the world. They are very adherent towards their rituals and traditions

like following the caste system, religion and community traits, etc.

Tamil is the official language of the state. It is a derivative of Brahmi script, and the letters

represent sounds, much like the Mandarin language. Not only most of the people in Tamil

Nadu speak Tamil, but it is also spoken by many in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore, and

Malaysia.

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Religion

A great amount of relevance is given to a person’s religion when it comes to personal

identity. Although four-fifth of the population of the state is Hindus, rest of them are divided

in Islam, Christianity, and Jainism. Their rituals include deity worship and animisms like tree

worship, animal worship and stars and planets worship. Many Hindus are followers of

different religious institutions called Matha which are the centres of Monastic studies.

Traditional Dress

Men can be seen wearing a Lungi with a shirt and Angavastra. Lungi is a rectangular cotton

cloth tied across the waist, and Angavastra is a cloth draped around the shoulders. It can be

worn over or without a shirt. Some people may also wear dhoti which is a long form of

Lungi, the bottom of which is mostly stuck at the waist. Men also wear Vibhuti on their

forehead.

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Tamil Nadu women mainly wear Saree which is a five to six yards rectangular cloth made of

cotton, silk or any other fabric. The prints, design and style depend on the fabric and

community rituals. Kanchipuram Saree is often worn at the time of festivals. Young girls

wear half-saree which includes a blouse, long skirt and a dupatta from the waist to the

shoulders. Nowadays, salwar kameez and even western wear are preferred.

Tamil Cuisine

If you imagine? South Indian Food?, first things which pop in mind Idli, Dosa, Sambhar,

Vada, Upma and what not. It’s a typical Madrasi Food for North Indians. Tamil Food is

popular in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian contexts. Otherwise, rice, lentils, grains and

vegetables from the main ingredients in Tamil Cuisine. Rice is a staple food here. Sambhar

and Coconut Chutney are served with almost everything and guess what, it makes a fine

blend with most of them. For non-vegetarians, fish, turtle, mutton and venison are preferred.

Some Tamilians follow the tradition of eating on Banana Leaf even today.

Music & Dance

Tamil Music has evolved over the years. The most important form of music was the Carnatic

music which considered only for the elite who could understand the intricacy of music. For

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others, Telugu songs and a mix of traditional numbers from a source of entertainment.

Bharatnatyam is the official dance form of Tamil Nadu, recognized all over India and the

world. It?s a complicated dance form with subtle moves of body parts and expressions. Some

other folk dances like Parai, Villuputtu Karakaatam, and Kuthu are also performed by local

people including tribal people.

Art & Architecture

Kolam (also known as Rangoli) is drawn at the doors of every house in Tamil Nadu. It is

drawn before the sunrise and is said to welcome Goddess Laxmi. This has become hugely

popular among North Indians too.

Tamilians have perfected the art of spinning, weaving and chiseling over the years and their

brilliance is reflected in different art subjects like bronzes, sculptor works, carvings, etc.

Magnificent temples represent Tamil architecture with lofty ?gopurams? and statues of

goddesses engraved all over the edifice. Many well-known temples such as Meenakshi

Amman Temple and Breehadeeshwara Temple are located here which displays a grand vista

of ancient Hindu mythological diversity and Tamil heritage.

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With a golden history of some great rulers and dynasties having ruled the state, it’s not

surprising to find such splendor in architecture, literature, and traditions. People of Tamil

Nadu have a great legacy to live up to. The culture and traditions have been safeguarded by

them over the years and are manifested till today in full vibrancy.

Film and theater arts

The theatrical culture that flourished Tamil culture during the classical age. Tamil theatre has

a long and varied history whose origins can be traced back almost two millennia to dance-

theatre forms like Kotukotti and Pandarangam, which are mentioned in an ancient anthology

of poems entitled the Kalingathu Parani.

The predominant theater form of the region is Kattaikkuttu, where performers (historically

men) sing, act, dance and are accompanied by musicians on traditional instruments. The

majority of performances draw from stories in the Mahabharata, while a few plays take their

inspiration from Purana stories.

The modern Tamil film industry originated during the 20th century. Tamil film industry has

its headquarters in Chennai and is known under the name Kollywood, it is the second largest

film industry in India after Bollywood.[74] Films from Kollywood entertain audiences not

only in India but also overseas Tamil diaspora. Tamil films from Chennai have been

distributed to various overseas theatres in Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Malaysia,

Japan, Oceania, the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America.[75] Inspired by

Kollywood originated outside India Independent Tamil film production in Sri Lanka,

Singapore, Canada, and western Europe. Several Tamil actresses such as Anuisa

Ranjan Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Rekha Ganesan, Sridevi, Meenakshi Sheshadri,

and Vidya Balan have acted in Bollywood and dominated the cinema over the years. Some

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Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu like MG Ramachandran, Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa have

their background in Tamil film industry.

Jallikattu

In Ancient times, Two bullfighting and bull-racing sports were conducted. 1. Manjuvirattu

and 2. Yeruthazhuval. These sports were organised to keep the people's temperament always

fit and ready for the war at any time. Each has its own techniques and rules. These sports

acted as one of the criteria to marry girls of warrior family. There were traditions where the

winner would be chosen as bridegroom for their daughter or sister.

Mr. Gandhirajan, who is a post-graduate in Art History from Madurai-Kamaraj University,

said the ancient Tamil tradition was "manju virattu" (chasing bulls) or "eruthu kattuthal"

(lassoing bulls) and it was never "jallikattu," that is baiting a bull or controlling it as the

custom obtained today. In ancient Tamil country, during the harvest festival, decorated bulls

would be let loose on the "peru vazhi" (highway) and the village youth would take pride in

chasing them and outrunning them. Women, elders and children would watch the fun from

the sidelines of the "peru vazhi" or streets. Nobody was injured in this. Or the village youth

would take delight in lassoing the sprinting bulls with "vadam" (rope).

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It was about 500 years ago, after the advent of the Nayak rule in Tamil Nadu with its Telugu

rulers and chieftains, that this harmless bull-chasing sport metamorphosed into "jallikattu,"

said Mr. Gandhirajan.

The ancient Tamil art of unarmed bullfighting, popular amongst warriors in the classical

period, has also survived in parts of Tamil Nadu, notably Alanganallur near Madurai, where

it is known as Jallikattu and is held once a year around the time of the Pongal festival.

Festivals
Pongal is the harvest festival celebrated by the farmers in January to worship the sun, the

earth and the cattle as thanks giving for a bounteous harvest. Pongal festival is followed by

the Jallikattu-Bull fight, in some parts of southern Tamil Nadu. Alanganallur in Tamil Nadu

is internationally famous for Jallikattu - Bull fight. Chithirai festival, Madurai brings a

spectacular re-enactment of the marriage of the Pandiyan princess Meenakshi to Lord

Sundareswarar. Adipperukku is a festival celebrated on the 18th day of Tamil month, Adi,

on the banks of rivers. It marks the commencement of new farming operations. Dance

Festival, Mamallapuram, which is set before an open air stage, created 13 centuries ago the

incredible monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the sea in this ancient city of

Mamallapuram. Bharatha Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Odissi are some dance

forms presented by the very best exponents of the art besides folk dances. At

the Natyanjali Dance Festival, the temple city of Chidambaram pays special tribute to Lord

Nataraja the 'Cosmic Dancer'.

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Bharatnatyam Dance

Mahamagam Festival is a holy festival that brings pilgrims to Kumbakonam once in 12

years - the temple city that gets its name from Kumbha - the divine pot. The summer festival

is held every year in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', the evergreen Ooty, the exquisite

Kodaikkanal or the salubrious heights of Yercaud. Kanthuri Festival is a truly secular

festival, where devotees flock to the shrine of saint Quadirwali. One of the descendants of the

Saint is chosen as a Peer or spiritual leader, and is honoured with offerings. On the tenth day

of the festival, the Saint's tomb is anointed with sandalwood, and later the holy sandal paste is

distributed to everyone. Wondrous legends surround the church, the most famous being that

of the ship wrecked Portuguese sailors, who in the 16th century, vowed to build a great shrine

for the Virgin Mary, for saving their lives in a terrible storm. The Velankanni festival

attracts thousands, clad in orange robes to the sacred spot where the ship landed. Equally

famous are the Virgin Mary's miraculous healing powers, earning for the church the name

'Lourdes of the East'.

The Navarathiri Festival, literally means the festival of 'nine nights', taking unique and

different forms in different states of India, all to propitiate the goddess Sakthi, for power,

wealth and knowledge. Rows of glittering earthen lamps outside every home and joyous burst

of fire crackers mark Tamil Nadu's Festival of lights, Karthigai Deepam. In December,

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Chennai celebrates her priceless heritage of carnaticmusic and dance at its Music Festival to

present a galaxy of star artistes, old and new.

2.2 Famous Temples

The ancient temples found all over Tamil Nadu, being resplendent in striking architectural

and sculptural details, significantly recall a prosperous bygone age dominated by such

powerful kings as the Pallavas, Nayakas or Cholas. Visit these divine abodes to enjoy the

mesmerizing art forms, preserved over several centuries and also satiate your longing of a

spiritual quest.

2.2.1 Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva preside in the form of Meenakshi and Sundareshwarar in this

ancient temple, hailing as one of the most prominent ones in India. Believed to have

originally been constructed in the 6th century AD, it was restored in the 16th century by the

Nayak rulers due to its destruction by Muslim invaders in the 14th century. The temple

brilliantly features Dravidian architecture and some of the most notable details are, the

thousand pillared hall, the magnificently sculpted Gopurams and the exquisite portrayals of

Indian mythological scenes

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2.2.2 Thiruthani Murugan Temple, Thiruthani

Located between Tirupati and Kanchipuram, this hill temple was made by the Pallava

kings in the 9th and 10th century CE and represents one of the six battlegrounds of Lord

Murugan or Kartikeya, the other five being, Palani, Swamimalai, Tirupparangunram,

Pazhamudircholai, and Thiruchendur. To reach it, you may mount its 365 steps or avail a

motorable road. Look out for the Rudraksha tower that contains a gigantic ornamented image

of Lord Subrahmanya, beautifully adorned with green stones.

2.2.3 Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur

Also known as Periya Kovil, Raja Rajeswara Temple, and Rajarajeswaram, this is one of the

biggest temples in India, visited by tourists from all over the world. Built by Raja Raja Chola

1 in 1010 CE, it is famous for a number of structures. It’s tower, commanding a height of

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216ft is among the tallest temple towers in the world, while its apex, carved from a single

rock weighs nearly 80 tons. There is also a massive statue of “Nandi” that is 13ft high.

2.2.4 Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

There are multiple attractive features of this temple in Cuddalore District. Firstly, the stone

scriptures, bronze statues, and surrounding Thillai trees vividly recall early Chola and Pallava

art. Secondly, the gold plated towers notably point at the Medieval structural inclusions put in

by kings like Aditya I, Parantaka Chola I, Kopperunchinga I, Krishnadevaraya. Lastly, it is

important to note that it’s the only temple of the later Chola period that sports significant

architectural features like, the “nritta maṇḍapa” or the Sūrya shrine having chariot wheels.

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2.2.5 Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram

Counted as one of the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, this temple gets visited by countless

devotees every day. Built by the Pandya rulers way back in the 12th century CE, it comprises

of several attractions like the four gopurams of 414ft each, an extensive corridor hall full of

granite pillars, and a gigantic statue of “Nandi” almost 20ft high.

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Chapter 3

Tamilnadu Recipes

Food is an important part of tamil culture. Tamilians are known for their

hospitality and are very particular about feeding everyone that comes home with a smile.

Even a stranger who comes home is offered at least a cup of water. For occasions, people

make sure that their guest go home with a stuffed stomach. It is very common to lovingly

force the guests to have some extra servings of each course. Traditionally, food used to be

served on the floor on a banana leaf. Even now, during special occasions people prefer eating

their food in the traditional style. It often starts with a sweet, followed by rice served with

curries like sambhar, rasam, kaara kuzhambu, etc and finishing with curd. It is accompanied

by varieties of side dishes and fried snacks like appalam, vadagam, vadai etc. Finally it is

common to serve a dessert which is mostly payasam. Tiffin menu includes many dishes made

with rice and lentils. Apart from this, there are many specific snacks and sweets made during

festivals.

Tamil cuisine is dominated by rice, lentils, tamarind, coconut and curry leaves. There

are many dishes that are native to the state like the idli, dosa, sambhar, upma, filter coffee and

many more dishes. Along with these common dishes, there are many region specific dishes.

The Karaikudi Chettinad cuisine is known for its use of fresh spices in both veg and non

veg dishes. The Nanjilnadu (Kanyakumari and surrounding areas) dishes have an interesting

blend of tamil dishes with kerala style since nanjilnadu was part of kerala few decades

ago. Madurai people are known for their mutton preparations. They have very unique ways

of preparing each part of the mutton including the brain, blood, meat, leg, liver and intestine.

The Kongunadu cuisine (Coimbatore and surroundings) are famous for their preparation

using many millets. They have some age old recipes which are gaining popularity these days

sue to its health benefits.

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The recipes from Tamilnadu are classified into 7 major categories. Press the links

below to go directly to the specific category or scroll down to see the recipes.

1. Breakfast & Tiffin Recipes

2. Rice Varieties

3. Curries and Side-Dishes

4. Condiments (Pickles, Chutneys, Podis)

5. Snack Recipes

6. Desserts and Sweets

7. Beverages

3.1.1 Breakfast & Tiffin Recipes

(a) Kotthu Parotta

Kotthu Parotta also called as Chilli Parotta is a very very famous dish in Tamil

Nadu especially in Kanyakumari district. It is usually made with left over parottas. Left

over parottas are shredded and mixed up with lots of sauteed onions, shredded chicken, eggs

etc to create a new delicacy. What i have given below is the recipe for egg parotta. If you do

not get parotta, you could use other ingredients like chappatti or bread and follow the same

method.

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Varieties of Kothu / Chilli Parotta

 Chicken Kothu Barotta- Add shredded chicken along with parotta pieces.

 Chilli(Kothu) Paratha - Substitute paratha for parotta.

 Chilli(Kothu) Chappatti - substitute chappatti instead of parotta.

 Chilli(Kothu) Bread - substitute sandwitch bread instead of parotta.

Ingredients

 Parotta - 4

 Onion - 2 big(sliced lengthwise) Tomato - 1 big/2 small (finely chopped)

 Green chilly - 4

 Garam masala/ Chicken Masala - 2 tsp

 Eggs - 2-3

 Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

 Curry leaves - 5

 Cilantro - handful

 Mint leaves - 5-6 leaves

 Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Shredthe porattas into small pieces and keep aside.

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2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves.

3. Fry onions and green chillies till they become golden brown.

4. Add the tomatoes and saute for a while. Next add the garam masala, some chopped

cilantro, curry leaves and very few mint leaves.

5. Add the shredded parotta and mix everything together. Let it cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add the eggs and keep mixing till the egg gets cooked.

7. Garnish with cilantro and split green chillies. Kothu parotta is ready to be served.

(b) Appam

Appam (or Aapam) is a very popular breakfast item from Kerala. It is also made in

Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. These are spongy pancakes made with fermented raw rice and

coconut batter. It is also known as the Palappam. Traditionally Kallu (toddy) was added to

the aapam to aid fermentation thus giving its name Kallappam. Nowadays yeast is used

instead. People who cannot find yeast or do not prefer yeast can use cooking soda (also called

appam soda) to the batter just before making the aapams.

There is another type of appam, known as the vellappam which is quite similar. Palappam

batter is thinner and is made in the traditional aapa chatty (aapam pan). Vellappam batter is

thicker and is made in a normal pan.

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Recipe for Appam

Preparation Time: 10 hours

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Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

 Raw Rice - 2 cups

 Shredded coconut - 3/4 cup

 Cooked rice - Handful (You could also use pressed rice/poha/aval instead)

 Yeast - 1 tsp

 Sugar - 2-3 tsp

 Salt - as needed

Method

1. Soak the rice for 2 hours.

2. Grind coconut and cooked rice together in a blender first until smooth.

3. To this add the soaked rice and grind everything together. The batter should be smooth.

4. Add the yeast, salt and sugar and mix well. Let it ferment for few hours or overnight.

The batter more than doubles with the yeast added.

5. Make Appam in the appam kal else make it like pancakes on regular pan. No need of

adding oil. Pour a spoonful of batter and spread using circular motion by holding the

handle of the appam pan. Some people like the center to be thick and spongey. If that is

the case add little extra batter. If not make thinner appams.

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6. Cover with a lid and let it cook for couple of minutes. If you prefer to have appams

with lacy browned edges, cook it for 1-2 minutes extra.

Tips

 If you do not like the smell of yeast, add a pinch of baking soda 30 minutes before

making the appams.

Variations

 You can make 'Wheat Aapams' too. Make the batter by mixing wheat flour with salt,

sugar, yeast, coconut milk and water. Let the batter ferment and make aapams just like

the above process.

 While making the aapams, if an egg is broken in the middle of the appam and then

cooked, it is called 'Egg (Muttai) Appam'.

(c) Ven Pongal

During our initial days of marriage, it was decided between us that we would take

each other to all the important places of our lives. My hubby took me to see his school,

college, the local playground, the common meeting point of friend, his 1st place of work and

many more. My husband says that he loved his post graduation days the best and my curious

mind wanted to know the reason behind it. On being asked, he said the breakfast is super

tasty in the PG mess. It was only then I asked him his favorite cuisines and dishes and

importantly which breakfast he relished the most in his PG days. My husband quickly replied

with lot of pride that no one can ever match the taste of VEN PONGAL of his hostel. Now,

that was kind of an open challenge on me and I had to prove him wrong. I knew deep within

that it was not difficult and I told him I can make the best ven pongal for him.

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Ven pongal is an authentic breakfast dish from Tamilnadu and is popular among all the south

Indian states. This along with chakkara pongal (Sweet pongal) are the main dishes prepared

on the Tamil harvest festival Pongal or Sankranti. Pongu in Tamil means boil over and

“Ven” in Tamil means white. Ven pongal is made from rice and yellow lentil or the moong

dhal which is boiled over and cooked completely that it has to be mashed easily. The

tempering of pepper and cumin seeds in ghee, poured over the top gives pongal its unique

aroma and taste. Ven pongal is also made as a prasadam or offering to god in temples and at

homes during Varalakshmi puja and navratri.

After we returned from our short trip to my hubby’s college, I cooked pongal as a brunch (I

usually do that) on the immediate Sunday. He relished it so much and finally had to beat his

ego and say my pongal is the best. Happy pongal cooking.

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Recipe for Ven Pongal

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

 Raw rice - 1 cup

 Green gram dal - 3/4 cup

 Asaefoetida - a pinch

 Salt - to taste

 Ginger - 1" piece (grated)

 Water - 5 cups

For Tempering

 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

 Whole black pepper - 1 tsp

 Curry leaves - 6-7

 Ghee - 2-3 tbsp

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 Cashew nuts - 6-7

Method

1. Soak the rice and dal in 5 cups of water for minimum of 10 minutes.

2. Add required salt, grated ginger and asafoetida to this mixture and pressure cook for 5

whistles. (1-2 whistles more than making regular rice)

3. Heat ghee in a small pan, splatter cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves.

4. Add this to the cooked rice dal mixture after the pressure is released.

5. Fry the cashews in some ghee and add that too.

6. Mix everything together even when it is still hot. The rice and dal should be partly

mashed up.

7. Ven pongal is ready to be served.

Variations

 Dry roasting the moong dal or the yellow lentil prior to cooking gives additional flavor

to the dish.

 Diet watchers can replace the white rice with brown rice or any type of millet. You can

also increase the proportion of moong dal.

 You could also add vegetables like carrot, beans, spinach and green peas and

make vegetable pongal.

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3.1.2 Rice Varieties

(a) Sambar Rice (Sambhar Sadam, Kadamba Sadam, Kootanchoru, Mixed Vegetable
Lentil Rice)

Sambhar Rice is one of the most common and delicious one-pot meal in any south-

Indian household. In many parts of south India it is also referred as Kadamba sadam.

Kadamba, meaning mixed and sadam meaning rice. Since it is made with rice, lentils,

veggies, tamarind and spices, the name Kadamba is conferred. In Tiruneveli, this is popular

by the name Kootan Choru. Again the name comes from the fact that the rice, lentils, veggies

and spices are all cooked together. Kootan means combining.

Sambhar rice is very easy and quick to prepare and can be comfortably cooked in our

busy mornings. I have also shared the Sambhar Sadam from Karnataka, known as Bisi

Bele Bath, which is made elaborately with fresh spices that are roasted and ground. This

version of sambar sadam, known as Kootan Choru is much simpler to make. The veggies can

be chopped the previous evening to save more time.

Sambhar rice is rich in all the essential nutrients and makes it an ideal choice of lunch

for school going children and working professionals. Well known nutritionists advice that

rice (a medium glycemic index food) when mixed with dal or Sāmbhar lowers down the GI

considerably. The tempering with mustard seeds, jeera and fenugreek seeds, in addition to

providing the flavor, also contribute in lowering the GI.Hence Sāmbhar rice can be safely

eaten and enjoyed by diet watchers and diabetic patients. We also add our favorite veggies

which make our rice look more colorful and nutritive. The spices used bring in a lot of flavor

and also aids in easy digestion. An additional spoon of ghee while serving hot increases the

taste quotient many fold.

Sambhar rice can be served along with baby potato fry (My favorite…), chips,

colocaesia fry, pappads, raita or even mango pickle.

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Recipe for Making Sambar Rice

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

 Rice - 1 cup

 Split red gram (tur)dal - 1/2 cup

 Mixed Vegetables - 3 cups (Like Brinjals, Potato, Carrot, Drumstick, Tomato,

Ivygourd, Drumstick Leaves, Spinach, Pumpkin, Green Beans, Yam, Broad Beans,

Raw Mango, Raw Banana, Zucchini, Sweet Potato etc.)

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 Water- 3 cups

 Tamarind - lemon sized (soaked in water)

 Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

 Sambar powder(or red chili powder) - 3 tsp

 Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - for garnish (finely chopped)

 Salt - To taste

For Grinding

 Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

 Small Onions - 6-8

 Garlic - 4-5 cloves

 Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

 Green chili - 1

For Tempering

 Oil - 1 tbsp

 Ghee - 1 tbsp

 Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

 Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

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 Thalippu Onion Vadam - 1 tsp

 Curry leaves- 10

Method

1. Wash the rice and dal. I like to soak these while I am chopping the vegetables.

2. Chop all the vegetables about the same size. You can use any vegetables or greens that

you have on hand.

3. Soak some tamarind in about 1/4 cup of water. Grind all the ingredients under 'to grind'

with another 1/4 cup of water.

4. Take the rice, lentils and chopped vegetables in a pressure cooker.

5. Add the ground paste, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder.

6. Extract the tamarind juice and add it to this. Also add the water.

7. Close the cooker and put the whistle on. Cook it for 4 whistles.

8. Let the pressure go down naturally.

9. Once you open the cooker do a taste test and adjust anything if needed.

10. Heat oil in a small skillet. Fry the mustard seed, urad dal, thalippu vengaya vadam,

asafoetida and curry leaves for half a minute.

11. Add this seasoning to the cooked rice. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and mix everything well.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

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(b) Curry Leaf Rice


Curry leaves or Karuvepillai or karivepaku in different languages is an indispensable

herb used in every Indian kitchen, especially a south Indian kitchen. No tadka or tempering is

complete without the addition of fresh curry leaves. Unfortunately, many of us throw the

curry leaves from our food. I have always wanted to eat curry leaves as a whole, in some

form, especially seeing my increased hair fall.

I had first tasted Curry leaf rice prepared by my grandmother after my first

delivery. In my grandmother’s kitchen backyard, there are many curry leaf trees, which she

uses it in her cuisine and also sends it to us whenever possible. According to my

grandmother, lactating mothers of new born babies should begin their meal with a morsel of

curry leaf rice, because curry leaves are rich in iron and folic acid which helps in keeping

anemia in bay. It also improves the digestion and alters the way our body absorbs fat and also

helps in weight loss.

Curry leaf rice is the easiest and the quickest that can be cooked on any busy morning.

Curry leaves can be washed and pat-dried on kitchen towels, the previous night to make it

faster. So, go ahead and set out to make this green colorful aromatic nutritive rice variety in

your spouse’s or child’s lunch box.

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Recipe for Curry Leaves Rice

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

 Basmati Rice - 2 cups

 Salt - as needed

 Turmeric Powder - a pinch

To Roast and Powder (Preparing Curry Leaf Powder)

 Curry Leaves - about 1 cup packed

 Urad Dal - 2 tbsp

 Channa Dal - 1 tbsp

 Garlic - 1 clove

 Dry Red Chillies - 5

 Peppercorns - 5

 Coconut - 2 tbsp

For Seasoning

 Asaefoetida - a pinch

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 Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

 Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp

3.1.3 Tamil Nadu Curries and Side-Dishes

Rasam is a thin soup made with some broth flavored with pepper, cumin and garlic. It

is usually made on a daily basis using lentil broth. In Chettinad, people love their non-veg as

much as their vegetarian dishes. They make rasam with chicken and mutton. One of my

friend made this for me few years back and I just loved it. I generally enjoy chicken clear

soup as well as rasam. This was like a blend of two of my favorite dishes.

This South Indian style chicken soup is good for common cold or just to have on cold

or rainy days. Those days it used to be made with country chicken, also known as Naatu

Kozhi. Even now I would suggest using country chicken if available as the taste is

unbeatable. In US, the taste of game hen is somewhat close. If not, you can use mutton piece

or turkey pieces to make this rasam. Chicken rasam is very easy and quick to make. It's is a

very good combination for plain rice. It has always been a hit whenever I make for my

family. I encourage you also to try it.

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Recipe For Kozhi Rasam

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

 Chicken - 1/2 lb (bony pieces)

 Shallot onions - 15 (chopped)

 Tomato - 1 (chopped or mashed up with hands)

 Green Chilly - 1

 Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

 Chicken Masala or Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp

 Cilantro - 3 springs (chopped)

For Tempering

 Oil - 2 tbsp

 Peppercorns - 1 tsp

 Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

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 Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

 Dry Red Chili - 1

 Garlic pods - 5 or 6

 Curry Leaves - 5 leaves

Method

1. In a pressure cooker add the bony chicken pieces, green chili and half of the onion.

Add about 5-6 cups of water, salt and turmeric powder.

2. Pressure cook for 7-8 whistles. We want the bones to break down and release all its

essence.

3. In the meantime, coarsely grind the ingredients under 'For Tempering' using the pulse

mode. You can also use a motar and pestle to crush the ingredients.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add the rest of the chopped onion, the coarsely ground masala and

chopped tomatoes one after the other. Fry for a minute or two.

5. After the pressure goes down by itself, open the cooker. Add the chicken broth along

with the bony pieces to the tempering. Some people prefer to discard the bony chicken

pieces as it has no taste left.

6. Add the chicken masala and chopped cilantro to the rasam. Bring it to a boil and switch

off. Serve it piping hot.

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Detailed Steps for making Kozhi Rasam

Take the bony chicken pieces in a pressure cooker. Add about 5-6 cups of water,

some chopped shallots, green chili, salt and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 7-8 whistles

until all the essence from the bones comes into the liquid.

When that is getting ready, prepare the masala. For that take garlic cloves,

peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chili and some curry leaves in a mixie

jar. Pulse it to crush it coarsely. You can also use a motar and pestle to get the job done.

(b) Fry with Medium Sized Fish (Meen Varuval, Meen Porichathu, Grilled Fish, Broiled
Fish)

Ingredients

 Fish Pieces - 1 lb (1/2 kg)

 Red Chilly Powder - 3 tsp

 Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

 Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

 Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp

 Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp (or use 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste)

 Curry Leaves - 1 spring (chopped)

 Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

 Salt - 1 tsp

 Oil - for frying

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Method

1. Wash the fish thoroughly and cut it into pieces.

2. Mix the chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, chopped

curry leaves, garlic powder and salt in a bowl.

3. Add the lemon juice and make a smooth spice paste.

4. Apply this paste over the fish pieces. Let it marinate for 10-15 minutes.

5. Shallow fry the pieces till both sides are brown and crispy (about 2-3 minutes on each

side).

3.1.4 Tamil Nadu Condiments (Pickles, Chutneys, Podis)

(a) Idli Podi

(b) Curry Leaf Power

(c) Veppan Poo Podi

(d) Orange Peel Pachadi

(e) Pavakkai Urugai

(f) Mangai Thokku

3.1.5 Tamil Nadu Snack Recipes

Karadaiyan Nombu is a traditional fasting festival observed by tamil brahmins. The married

women pray for the well being and long life of their husband. It is celebrated during the

trasition of tamil months Maasi and Panguni.

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A special dish made during this karadaiyan nombu is called the karadaiyan nombu

adai. Here is the savoury version of the nombu adai. You can also find the recipe for

the sweet nombu adai here.

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 cup

Water - 1.5 cup

Green Chilli (chopped) - 1 (increase/decrease according to your choice)

Curry leaves – few

Salt - as per taste

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Boiled red chowli (karamani)

Asafoeitida - a pinch

Oil - 2 tsp

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Method

1. In a kadai pour water, add rice flour and mix well and ensure that no lumps formed.

2. Add the other ingreidents. Keep it on stove and cook in medium flame till you get nice

pliable dough.

3. Cool it, make small balls out of it with the help of oil and flatten it.

4. Make a hole in the middle, place it on the plantain leaf and steam for 15 minutes.

5. Serve hot or cold as u wish. You should be careful with water since some rice powder

absorbs more than 1 1/2 cup.

3.1.6 Tamil Nadu Desserts and Sweets (Naralachi Vadi, Thenga Burfi, Nariyal Burfi)

Ingredients

Fine Grated Coconut /Coconut Powder -2 Cups


 Condensed Milk -1 Can(300 ml)

 Cardamom - 5 no's (crushed)

 Edible food colour (any colour) - 2 drops(Optional)

Method

1. Heat a non stick pan in medium flame and add the grated coconut.

2. Saute until the coconut flavor comes and check it doesn't turn brown(it takes 5 to 10
minutes).

3. Now add the condensed milk and cardamom.

4. Saute for 5 minutes continuously until everything rolls out to a ball.

5. Add color(optional) and mix it.Usually burfi is in white color.

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6. Switch off the stove.

7. Take a plate or any non stick vessel and grease with butter.

8. Pour the Burfi mixture and pat it tightly with hands.

9. Keep it refrigerated for 1/2 hour for firmness.

10. Now cut the Burfi with buttered knife with vertical lines.

11. Turn the plate to 45 degrees and again cut into vertical lines to form diamond shape.

Sweet Pongal (Chakkarai Pongal, Gud ka Chaawal, Sweet Rice Porridge)

Recipe for Sweet Pongal

Ingredients

 Raw Rice - 1 cup

 Moong Dal - 1/2 cup

 Jaggery (crushed) - 1.5 cups

 Ghee - 1/4 cup

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 Water - 4 cups (to cook the rice and dal) (Tip :- You can substitute 4 cups of water with
2 cups water + 2 cups milk or 2 cups).
 water + 2 cups coconut milk.

 Water - 1 cup (to melt the jaggery)

 Cardamon Powder - 1/2 tsp

 Cashews, Almonds, Raisins or Coconut Pieces - about 1/4 cup (Use as per your
preference or whatever you have on hand)

 Saffron Strands - a pinch (optional)

Method

1. Take a pressure cooker and dry roast the moong dal for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the rice to this. Now add the 4 cups of water (with milk if adding) and 1 tsp ghee.

3. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles till the rice and dal is cooked soft. You can also cook the
mixture in a rice cooker or an open pot.

4. In the meantime, heat 1 tblsp of ghee and fry the nuts and raisins. Keep this aside.

5. Next, melt the crushed jaggery with 1 cup of water in a heavy bottomed pot/pan.

6. Once the jaggery has melted, you can strain it to remove any dirt. This step can be
skipped if the jaggery is pure.

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7. Return the strained jaggery back to the pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and let it
simmer for about 5 minutes.

8. Mash the cooked rice-dal mixture partially and add it to the simmering jaggery syrup.

9. Add the remaining ghee, cardamon powder, saffron strands and the roasted nuts. Mix
together and let it simmer for few minutes till everything comes together into a gooey
pongal consistency.

10. Switch off. The pongal continues to thicken as it cools.

3.1.7 Tamil Nadu Bevarages

1. South Indian Filter Coffee

2. Manjal Milagu Paal

3. Ginger Tea (Inji Chaaya)

4. Masala Mor

5. Kashayam for cold.

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Chapter 4

Conclusion

In this Project work Focus on Study and analysis of Tamil Nadu State Food

Production. In this work brief introduction about Tamil Nadu State, Geographical limits,

Culture, Traditions and Famous temples are discussed. The recipes from Tamilnadu are

mainly classified into 7 Categories. From the 7 Categories Famous recipes like Kotthu

Parotta, Aapam, Kadamba, Kozhi Rasam, Meen Varuval, Coconut Burfi and Nombu Adai

sweet ingrediants and prepation procedure discussed briefly. Based on Training of 2 Months

in GRTS Radison Blu , Chennai, Tamil Nadu State will get the experience to full fill our

project work on Tamil Nadu Food Production.

SIHMCT, Vijayawada Page 48


A Project Report on Tamil Nadu Cruise

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Nadu

2. https://simpleindianrecipes.com/TamilnaduRecipes.aspx#breakfast

3. "Tamil Nadu: Girija Vaidyanathan is the new chief secretary". Deccan

Chronicle. Tamil Nadu. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.

4. "Rajendran is new DGP". thehindu.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

5. Census of india 2011" (PDF). Government of India.

SIHMCT, Vijayawada Page 49

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