Chettinad

Introduction to

Chettinad cuisine

Chettinad cuisine hails from the deep southern region of Tamil Nadu.

Chettinad cuisine is far from the bland cuisine of traditional Tamilian

Brahmins—it is one of the spiciest, oiliest and most aromatic in India.

Although the Chettiars are well known for their delicious vegetarian

preparations, their repertoire of food items is famous and includes all manner

of fish and fowl and meats, as well as delicate noodle-like dishes and

carefully preserved sun-dried legumes and berries that the Chettiar ladies

make into curries. Oil and spices are liberally used in cooking and most

dishes have generous amounts of peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves,

cardamom, nutmeg, green and red chilies, etc.

Some of the popular dishes in Chettinad menu are varuval -- a dry dish fried

with onions and spices (chicken, fish or vegetables sautéed), pepper

chicken, poriyal -- a curry, and kuzambu which has the ingredients stewed in

a gravy of coconut milk and spices.

In the same range, one can include the numerous pickles, powders, specially

roasted and ground spices, dry snacks, papads, appalam and vada. Numerous

shops now sell pre-packed snacks like murukkus, small spirals of fried rice

dough, chips and other edible ‘hand grenades’ like thattai, masala vada and

so on.

The Tamil variation of Mughlai food can be savored in the biryani and paya.

The latter is a kind of spiced trotter broth and is eaten with

either parathas or appam.

Tamil Nadu is famous for its filter coffee as most Tamils have a subtle

contempt for instant coffee. The making of filter coffee is almost a ritual, for

the coffee beans have to be roasted and ground. Then the powder is put into a

filter set and boiling hot water is added to prepare the decoction and allowed

to set for about 15 minutes. The mix is then added to milk with sugar to taste.

The final drink is poured individually from one container to another in rapid

succession to make the ideal frothy cup of filter coffee.

South Indian cuisine has the following culinary schools

Karnataka, Andhra, Hyderabadi, Tamil, Chettinad, Kerala.

Andhra

Andhra cuisine is largely vegetarian but the coastal areas have a large

repertoire of seafood. Fish and prawns are curried in sesame and coconut oils,

and flavored with freshly ground pepper. Andhra food is served with rice.

Rice, sambar and other lentil preparations, and steamed vegetables delicately

flavored with coconut, spices and fresh herbs. Snack or tiffin time is made of

many preparations like onion pakodas; vadas or savory lentil doughnuts

dunked in steaming hot sambar; and steamed rice muffin like dumplings

called idlis. Savories are murku, roundels of rice flour paste deep fried; and

appadams. Desserts include payasam, a pudding made with rice and milk and

the popular Sheer Khurma - a Hyderabadi delicacy with dry fruits and dates.

Karnatak Cuisine 

A typical Kannad meal includes the following dishes in the order specified

and is served on a banana leaf: Kosambari, Pickle, Palya, Gojju, Raita Dessert

( Yes, it is a tradition to start your meal with a dessert( paaysa!) Thovve

Chitranna Rice Ghee. What follows next is a series of soup-like dishes such

as saaru, majjige huli or Kootu which is eaten with hot rice. Gojju or raita is

served next; two or three desserts are served; fried dishes such as Aambode or

Bonda is served next. The meal ends with a serving of curd rice.

Some typical dishes include Bisibele Bath, Saaru, Vangi Bath, Khara Bath,

Kesari Bath, Akki Rotti, Davanagere Benne Dosa, Ragi mudde, and

Uppittu.The famous Masala Dosa traces its origin to Udupi cuisine. Plain and

Rave Idli or pancake, Mysore Masala Dosa and Maddur Vade are popular in

South Karnataka. Coorg district is famous for spicy varieties of pork curries

while coastal Karnataka boasts of many tasty sea food specialities. Among

sweets, Mysore Pak, Dharwad Pedha, Pheni, Chiroti are well known.

Hyderabad 

This cuisine is a direct result from the kitchens of the Nizams or Muslim

rulers.  The Hyderabadi cuisine is the amalgamation of Muslim techniques

and meats with the vibrant spices and ingredients of the predominantly local

Hindu people.  Hydrabadi cuisine is the ultimate in fine dining.  Its tastes

range from sour and the sweet, the hot and the salty and studded with dry

fruits and nuts. One of India's finest foods, the biryani or rice with meats and

brinjal (or eggplant) or baghare baiganis are the jewels of Hyderabadi

cooking.

Chettinad cuisine

Chettinad cuisine hails from the deep southern region of Tamil Nadu.

Chettinad cuisine is far from the bland cuisine of traditional Tamilian

Brahmins—it is one of the spiciest, oiliest and most aromatic in India.

Although the Chettiars are well known for their delicious vegetarian

preparations, their repertoire of food items is famous and includes all manner

of fish and fowl and meats, as well as delicate noodle-like dishes and

carefully preserved sun-dried legumes and berries that the Chettiar ladies

make into curries. Oil and spices are liberally used in cooking and most

dishes have generous amounts of peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves,

cardamom, nutmeg, green and red chilies, etc.

Some of the popular dishes in Chettinad menu are varuval -- a dry dish fried

with onions and spices (chicken, fish or vegetables sautéed), pepper

chicken, poriyal -- a curry, and kuzambu which has the ingredients stewed in

a gravy of coconut milk and spices.

In the same range, one can include the numerous pickles, powders, specially

roasted and ground spices, dry snacks, papads, appalam and vada. Numerous

shops now sell pre-packed snacks like murukkus, small spirals of fried rice

dough, chips and other edible ‘hand grenades’ like thattai, masala vada and so

on.

The Tamil variation of Mughlai food can be savored in the biryani and paya.

The latter is a kind of spiced trotter broth and is eaten with

either parathas or appam.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is famous for its filter coffee as most Tamils have a subtle

contempt for instant coffee. The making of filter coffee is almost a ritual, for

the coffee beans have to be roasted and ground. Then the powder is put into a

filter set and boiling hot water is added to prepare the decoction and allowed

to set for about 15 minutes. The mix is then added to milk with sugar to taste.

The final drink is poured individually from one container to another in rapid

succession to make the ideal frothy cup of filter coffee.

Kerala 

is noted for its variety of pancakes and steamed rice cakes made from

pounded rice. For the Muslims, the lightly flavored Biryani-made of mutton,

chicken, egg or fish-takes pride of place. In seafood, mussels are a favorite.

For the Christians, who can be seen in large concentration in areas like

Kottayam and Pala, ishtew (a derivation of the European stew), with appam is

a must for every marriage reception. Kerala also has it's own fermented

beverages -the famous kallu (toddy) and patta charayam (arrack). Arrack is

extremely intoxicating and is usually consumed with spicy pickles and boiled

eggs (patta and mutta).

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu (Tamil: தமி�ழ் நா�டு) is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and

largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian

Peninsula and is bordered by the States

of Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is bound by the Eastern

Ghats in the north, the Nilgiri, the Anamalai Hills, and Palakkad on the west, by

the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait in the south east,

and by the Indian Ocean in the south.

Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state in India by area (about the size of Greece)

and the seventh most populous state. It is the fifth largest contributor to

India's GDP and ranks tenth in Human Development Index as of 2006. Tamil Nadu

is also the most urbanised state in India. The state has the highest number (10.56%)

of business enterprises and stands second in total employment (9.97%) in

India, compared to the population share of about 6%.

The region has been the home of the Tamil people since at least 500 BCE. Its

official language Tamil has been in use in inscriptions and literature for over 2000

years. Tamil Nadu is home to many natural resources, grand Hindu temples

of Dravidian architecture, hill stations, beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage

sites and eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

History

Pre historic

Tamil Nadu's history dates back to pre-historic times. Archaeological evidence

points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in India.

In Adichanallur, 24 km (15 mi) from Tirunelveli, archaeologists from

the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed 169 clay urns containing human

skulls, skeletons and bones, plus husks and grains of rice, charred rice

and Neolithic celts, giving evidence confirming them to be of the Neolithic period,

3800 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.  About 60% of the total

epigraphical inscriptions found by ASI in India are from Tamil Nadu and most of

which are in Tamil language.

There have been more discoveries of the evidence of prehistoric creatures

inhabiting the landscape of what is now modern Tamil Nadu in the shape of eggs

of dinosaurs and other animals of their kind. Geologists in Tamil Nadu have

stumbled upon a Jurassic treasure trove buried in the sands of a river bed. Sheer

luck led them to hundreds of fossilized dinosaur eggs, perhaps 65 million years

old, underneath a stream in a tiny village in Ariyalur district.  Researchers from the

Salem-based Periyar University found clusters of eggs of what they believe to be

the most aggressive Carnosaur and the docile, leaf-eating Sauropod at Sendurai

village. While Carnosaurs were large predatory dinosaurs, Sauropods were long-

necked, herbivores which grew to enormous heights and sizes

Medieval Period (600–1300)

The Cholas who were very active during the Sangam age were entirely absent

during the first few centuries.[17] The period started with the rivalry between the

Pandyas and the Pallavas, which in turn caused the revival of the Cholas. The

Cholas went on to becoming a great power. Their decline saw the brief resurgence

of the Pandyas. This period was also that of the re-invigorated Hinduism during

which temple building and religious literature were at their best. The Cheras ruled

in southern India from before the Sangam era (300 BCE – 250 CE) over

theCoimbatore, Karur, Salem Districts in present day Tamil Nadu and present

day Kerala from the capital of Vanchi Muthur in the west, (thought to be

modern Karur). They traded extensively from nearby Muziris, in spices, ivory,

timber, pearls and gems, with the ancient kingdoms of Egypt, Rome,

Greece, Ceylon, Phoenicia, Arabia,Mesopotamia and Persia. The Kalabhras,

invaded and displaced the three Tamil kingdoms and ruled between the third and

the seventh centuries CE of the Sangam period. This is referred to as the Dark Age

in Tamil history. They were expelled by the Pallavas and the Pandyas in sixth

century.

There is considerable evidence to show that under the Kalabhras'

rule Jainism flourished in the land of the Tamils. The didactic

work Naaladiyar was composed during their reign. It consists of moral sayings in

the venpa meter, 400 in number in 40 chapters, each by one Jain ascetic, according

to tradition. Following in the tradition of Jainism, Naaladiyar emphasizes virtues

such as control of the senses, asceticism, renunciation, and other desirable social

qualities. Because the Kalabhras gave protection to Jains and perhaps Buddhists,

too, some have concluded that they were anti-Hindu, although this latter view is

not undisputed.

During the sixth to eighth centuries century CE, Tamil Nadu saw the rise of

the Pallavas under Mahendravarman I and his son Mamalla Narasimhavarman I.

The Pallavas were originally executive officers under the Satavahana Empire.

After the fall of the Satavahanas, around 550 CE under King Simhavishnuthey

emerged into prominence. They subjugated the Cholas and reigned as far south as

the Kaveri River. Pallavas ruled a large portion of South India withKanchipuram as

their capital. Dravidian architecture reached its peak during the Pallava rule.

Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage

Site.

The Pallavas were replaced by the Cholas as the dominant kingdom in the 10th

century C.E and they in turn were replaced by Pandyas in the 13th century C.E.

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

extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and

their successors, as well as contacts, even formal diplomatic contacts, reaching as

far as the Roman Empire. During the 13th century C.E.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. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and

literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast, between

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

ancient world.

Chola Empire

By the 9th century, during the times of the second Chola monarch Aditya I, his

son Parantaka I, Parantaka Chola II itself the Chola empire had expanded into what

is now interior Andhra Pradesh and coastal Karnataka, while under the

great Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose as a notable

power in south Asia. The Chola Empire stretched as far as Bengal. At its peak, the

empire spanned almost 3,600,000 km² (1,389,968 sq mi). Rajaraja Chola

conquered all of peninsular South India and parts of the Sri Lanka. Rajendra

Chola's navies went even further, occupying coasts from Burma (now Myanmar)

to Vietnam,  the Andaman and Nicobar

Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya in South East Asia and Pegu islands.

He defeated Mahipala, the king of the Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he

built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

The Cholas excelled in building magnificent temples. Brihadeshwara

Temple in Thanjavur is a classical example of the magnificent architecture of the

Chola kingdom. Brihadshwara temple is an UNESCO Heritage Site under "Great

Living Chola Temples."  Another example is Annamalaiyar Temple located at the

city of Tiruvannamalai and the Chidambaram Temple in the heart of the temple

town of Chidambaram. Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra Chola period is said to be

the golden period of Tamil Nadu, and under them the Chola empire rose to be the

most powerful empire in all of South-India. With the decline of the Cholas

between 1230–1280 CE, the Pandyas rose to prominence once again,

under Maravarman Sundara Pandya and his younger brother, the

celebratedJatavarman Sundara Pandyan.

This revival was short-lived as the Pandya capital of Madurai itself was sacked

by Alauddin Khilji's troops under General Malik Kafur in 1316. The Muslim

invasion led to the establishment of the short lived Madurai Sultanate.

Vijayanagar and Nayak period (1336–1646)

These Muslim invasions triggered the establishment of the Hindu Vijayanagara

Empire in the Deccan. It eventually conquered the entire Tamil country (c. 1370

CE). This empire lasted for almost two centuries till the defeat of Vijayanagara in

the Battle of Talikota in 1565. Subsequent to this defeat, many incompetent kings

succeeded to the throne of Vijayanagara with the result that its grip loosened over

its feudatories among whom the Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore were among the

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

Vijayanagara kingdom."  As the Vijayanagara Empire went into decline after mid-

16th century, the Nayak governors, who were appointed by the Vijayanagar

kingdom to administer various territories of the empire, declared their

independence. The Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur were most

prominent of them all in the 17th century. They reconstructed some of the oldest

temples in the country such as the Meenakshi Temple.

Rule of Nawabs and Nizams (1692-1801)

In the early 18th century, the eastern parts of Tamil Nadu came under the

dominions of the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of the Carnatic. While

Wallajah was supported by the English, Chanda Sahib was supported by the

French by the middle of the 18th century. In the late 18th century, the western parts

of Tamil Nadu, encompassing Kongu Nadu, came under the dominions of Hyder

Ali and later Tipu Sultan, particularly with their victory in the Second Anglo-

Mysore War.

Tamil Nadu under European rule (1801–1947)

Around 1609, the Dutch established a settlement in Pulicat, while the Danish had

their establishment in Tranquebar (Tharangambadi). In 1639, the British, under

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

present day Chennai. In the late 18th century, the British fought and reduced

the French dominions in India to Puducherry. Nizams of Hyderabad and

the Nawabs of the Carnatic bestowed tax revenue collection rights on the East

India Company for defeating the Kingdom of Mysore. After winning the Polygar

wars, the East India Company consolidated most of southern India into the Madras

Presidency coterminous with the dominions of Nizam of

Hyderabad. Pudukkottai remained as a princely state.

Tamil Nadu in independent India

When India became independent in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras

State, comprising present day Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh up to Ganjam

district in Orissa, South Canara district Karnataka, and parts of Kerala. The state

was subsequently split up along linguistic lines. In 1969, Madras State was

renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning Country of Tamil.

Geography

Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 square kilometres (50,216 sq mi), and is the

eleventh largest state in India. The bordering states are Kerala to the

west,Karnataka to the northwest and Andhra Pradesh to the north. To the east is

the Bay of Bengal and the union territory of Puducherry. The southernmost tip of

the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu. At this point is the town

of Kanyakumari which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal,

and the Indian Ocean.

The western, southern and the north-western parts are hilly and rich in vegetation.

Tamil Nadu is the only state in India which has both the Western Ghats and

the Eastern Ghats and they both meet at the Nilgiri hills. The Western Ghats

dominate the entire western border with Kerala, effectively blocking much of the

rain bearing clouds of the South West Monsoon from entering the state. The

eastern parts are fertile coastal plains and the northern parts are a mix of hills and

plains. The central and the south central regions are arid plains and receive less

rainfall than the other regions.

Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about 910 kilometres (600 mi) which is the

country’s third longest coastline. Tamil Nadu's coastline bore the brunt of the

2004Indian Ocean Tsunami when it hit India, which caused 7,793 direct deaths in

the state.[31] Tamil Nadu falls mostly in a region of low seismic hazard with the

exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate hazard zone; as

per the 2002 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) map, Tamil Nadu falls in Zones II

& III. Historically, parts of this region have experienced seismic activity in the

M5.0 range.

Climate

Tamil Nadu is heavily dependent on monsoon rains, and thereby is prone to

droughts when the monsoons fail. The climate of the state ranges from dry sub-

humid to semi-arid. The state has three distinct periods of rainfall:

advancing monsoon period, South West monsoon from June to September, with

strong southwest winds;

North East monsoon from October to December, with dominant northeast

winds;

dry season from January to May.

The normal annual rainfall of the state is about 945 mm (37.2 in)  of which 48% is

through the North East monsoon, and 32% through the South West monsoon.

Since the state is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its water resources,

monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought.

Tamil Nadu is classified into seven agro-climatic zones: north-east, north-west,

west, southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and Cauvery Delta (the most

fertile agricultural zone). The table below shows the maximum and minimum

temperatures that the state experiences in the plains and hills.

Governance and administration

The Governor is the Constitutional head of the state while the Chief Minister is the

head of the government and the head of the council of ministers. The Chief

Justice of the Madras High Court is the head of the judiciary. The present

Governor, Chief Minister and the Chief Justice are Surjit Singh Barnala,

M. Karunanidhi and M. Y. Iqbal respectively.The major administrative units of the

state constitutes 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, 234 Assembly constituencies, 32

districts, 10 city corporations, 152 municipalities, 611 town panchayats and 12,618

village panchayats. Chennai (formerly known as Madras) is the state capital. It is

the fourth largest city in India and is also one of the five A1 Metropolitan cities of

India.

Tamil Nadu had a bicameral legislature until 1986, when it was replaced with

a unicameral legislature, like most other states in India. The term length of the

government is 5 years, as is elsewhere in India. The present government run by the

DMK led alliance came to power in 2006 and comprises a council of 29 ministers,

chaired by the Chief Minister. Dr.M.Karunanidhi. Tamil Nadu legislative assembly

is chaired by the speaker Mr. R Avudaiappan and is housed at the Omandurar

Government Estate in Chennai. The state had come under the President's rule on

four occasions – first from 1976 to 1977, next for a short period in 1980, then from

1988 to 1989 and the latest in 1991.

Tamil Nadu has 10 City

Corporations: Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, Tirunelveli, E

rode,Tirupur, Vellore and Thoothukudi. There is a plan to

upgrade Nagercoil and Thanjavur as City Corporations. TheCorporation of

Chennai, established in 1688, is the oldest Municipal Corporation not only in India

but also in any commonwealth nations outside United Kingdom.

Tamil Nadu has been a pioneering state of E-Governance initiatives in India. A

large part of the government records like land ownership records are digitised and

all major offices of the state government like Urban Local Bodies — all

the Corporations and Municipal Office activities — revenue collection, land

registration offices, and transport offices have been computerised. Tamil Nadu is

one of the states where law and order has been maintained largely successfully.

The Tamil Nadu Police Force is over 140 years old. It is the fifth largest state

police force in India and has the largest strength of women police personnel in the

country. As of 2003, the state had a total police population ratio of 1:668, higher

than the national average of 1:717. The current Director General of Police (law and

order) of Tamil Nadu is Latika Charan.

Districts

The 32 districts of Tamil Nadu are listed below with the numbers corresponding to

those in the image at right.

1. Ariyalur District

2. Chennai District

3. Coimbatore District

4. Cuddalore District

5. Dharmapuri District

6. Dindigul District

7. Erode District

8. Kanchipuram District

9. Kanyakumari District

10.Karur District

11.Krishnagiri District

12.Madurai District

13.Nagapattinam District

14.Namakkal District

15.Nilgiris District

16.Perambalur District

17.Pudukkottai District

18.Ramanathapuram District

19.Salem District

20.Sivagangai District

21.Thanjavur District

22.Theni District

23.Thoothukudi District

24.Tiruchirapalli District

25.Tirunelveli District

26.Tirupur district

27.Tiruvallur District

28.Tiruvannamalai District

29.Tiruvarur District

30.Vellore District

31.Viluppuram District

32.Virudhunagar District

Culture

Main articles: Tamil people, Temples of Tamil Nadu, and Tamil literature

Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of venerable culture. Tamil Nadu is known for its

rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today.

Unique cultural features like Bharatanatyam (dance), Tanjore painting, and Tamil

architecture were developed and continue to be practised in Tamil Nadu.

Language and literature

Tamil is the only official language of Tamil Nadu. English is also in common

usage as an official language of India. When India adopted national standards

Tamil was the very first language to be recognized as a classical language of India.

The Tamil people regard their language a very important part of their cultural

identity.

Most early Tamil literary works are in verse form, with prose not becoming more

common until later periods. Throughout its history, Tamil literature has sought to

inform and inspire, educate and entertain.

Tamil poetry has universal appeal as evidenced by many examples. Tirukkural,

which was written nearly two millennia ago portrays a universal outlook. This is

evident as the author, Tiruvalluvar, does not mention his religion, land, or the

audience for his work. He is often portrayed as a holy saint of Tamil Nadu today.

Ancient Tamil literature is predominantly secular and deals with everyday life in

the Tamil Context.

The first Tamil printing press was established at Tarangambadi by the Danish

missionaries. During the Indian freedom struggle, many Tamil poets and writers

sought to provoke national spirit, social equity and secularist thoughts among the

common man, notably Subramanya Bharathy and Bharathidasan. Even today,

Tamil Nadu is home to creative writers like Vairamuthu, Jayakanthan,and Indira

Parthasarathy.

Religions

About 88% of the population identifies as Hindu and Tamil Nadu is the home of

the core schools of medieval and modern Hinduism as well as several non-

mainstream Hindu movements. These include Advaita

Vedanta,Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita, Alvars' Sri Vaishnavism,

and Nayanmars Shaivism. Several important Hindu Tamil figures became

important figures for Hinduism as a whole (e.g.Ramanuja.) In modern times, well

known figures for Hinduism in the state include Ramana Maharishi and the Kanchi

Paramacharya. Murugan, Thirumal (Vishnu),Sivan, Sakthi in various forms and a

large number of village deities are also worshiped by Hindus in Tamil Nadu. The

emblem of Government of Tamil Nadu depicts the Gopuram (Entrance Arch) of

the temple at Srivilliputhur.

Christians and Muslims together form over 11% of the population. Christians are

mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Kanyakumari (44% of the

population, 2001), Thoothukudi (17%, 2001) and Tirunelveli (11%,2001). St.

Thomas Mount in Chennai, the place where St. Thomas, one of the disciples

of Jesus, was believed to have been martyred, is an important pilgrimage site for

Indian Christians. The Santhome Basilica, supposedly built atop the tomb of St.

Thomas, and the Vailankanni Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health — revered

churches by India's Roman Catholics — are good examples of majestic church

architectures in Tamil Nadu. The Church of South India and the Pentecostal

Mission Church are headquartered in Chennai.

Muslims are mainly concentrated in areas such as

Adirampattinam, Kayalpatnam, Kilakarai, Pernambut, Ambur,

Vaniyambadi, Madurai, Nagore, and Melapalayam, with the state capital Chennai

also home to a number of Muslims. Among Muslims, 97.5% are Sunni and the rest

are Shias. The Sunnis adhere to either Hanafi or Shafi schools of thought.Erwadi in

Ramanathapuram district and Nagore in Nagapattinam district are important

pilgrimage site for Muslims, while the Thousand Lights Mosque in Chennai is one

of the largest mosques in the country. Kazimar Big Mosque in Kazimar

Street, Madurai and Karpudaiyar masjid in Kayalpatnam are the oldest mosques in

Tamil Nadu.

There was a popular atheist movement in the 1940s that has lost support since.

Festivals

Pongal, also called as Tamizhar Thirunaal (festival of Tamils) or Makara Sankranti

elsewhere in India, a four-day harvest festival is one of the most widely celebrated

festivals throughout Tamil Nadu. The Tamil language saying Thai Pirandhal Vazhi

Pirakkum — literally meaning, the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for

new opportunities — is often quoted with reference to this festival. The first day,

Bhogi Pongal, is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and

materials by setting them on fire to mark the end of the old and emergence of the

new. The second day, Surya Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of

the tenth Tamil month Thai (14 January or 15 January in western calendar). The

third day, Maattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cattle, as they provide

milk and are used to plough the lands. Jallikattu, a bull taming contest, marks the

main event of this day. During this final day, Kaanum Pongal — the word

"kaanum", means 'to view' in Tamil.

The first month in the Tamil calendar is Chitterai and the first day of this month in

mid-April is celebrated as Tamil New Year. Thiruvalluvar Calendar is 31 years

ahead of Gregorian Calendar, that is 2000 CE in Gregorian calendar is represented

as 2031 in Thiruvalluvar Calendar. Aadi Perukku is celebrated on the 18th day of

the Tamil month Aadi, which celebrates the rising of the water level in the river

Cauvery. Apart from these major festivals, in every village and town of Tamil

Nadu, the inhabitants celebrate festivals for the local gods once a year and the time

varies from place to place. Most of these festivals are related to the

goddess Maariyamman, the mother goddess of rain.

Additional major Hindu festivals including Deepavali (Death of Narakasura),

Ayudha Poojai, Saraswathi Poojai (Dasara), Krishna Jayanthi and Vinayaka

Chathurthi are celebrated. Ayya Vaikunda Avataram, is celebrated predominantly

in the southern districts.  In addition, Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Easter andBakrid are

celebrated by Christians and Muslims in the state.

Music

The Kings of ancient Thamizhagam created sangams for Iyal Isai Nadagam

(Literature, Music and Drama). Music played a major role in sangams. Music in

Tamil Nadu had different forms. In villages where farming was the primary

occupation, ladies who work in the fields used to sing kulavai songs. Odhuvars,

Sthanikars or Kattalaiyars offer short musical programmes in the temples by

singing the devotional Thevaram songs. In sharp contrast with the restrained and

intellectual nature of Carnatic music, Tamil folk music tends to be much more

exuberant. Popular forms of Tamil folk music include the Villuppāṭṭu, a form of

music performed with a bow, and the NāṭṭuppurU appāṭṭu, ballads that convey

folklore and folk history. Some of the leading Tamil folk artists in the early 21st

century are Pushpuvanam Kuppuswamy, Dr. Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan,

Chinnaponnu, Paravai muniammal etc.

Carnatic music is the classical music form of Southern India. This is one of the

world's oldest & richest musical traditions.The Trinity of Carnatic

musicTyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri were from Tamil Nadu.

Thyagarajar Aaradhanai (worship) takes place every year in the month of

Marghazhi in Thiruvaiyaru all carnatic musicians render their obesiance to Saint

Thyagarajar by singing his compositions. The composers belonging to the Tamil

Trinity, namely Muthu Thandavar (?1560 – ?1640 CE), Arunachala Kavi (1712–

1779) and Marimutthu Pillai (1717–1787) composed hundreds of devotional songs

in Tamil and helped in the evolution of Carnatic music. Today, Tamil Nadu has

hundreds of notable carnatic singers and instrumentalists who spread this music all

over the world. Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music

Season during December–January, which includes performances by hundreds of

artists all over the city.

In terms of modern cine-music, Ilaiyaraaja was the most prominent composer of

film music in Tamil cinema during the late 1970s and 1980s. His work highlighted

Tamil folk lyricism and introduced broader Western musical sensibilities to the

South Indian musical mainstream. Tamil Nadu is also the home of the double

Oscar Winner A.R. Rahman who has composed film music in Tamil,Telugu, Hindi

films, English and Chinese films, was once referred to by Time magazine as

"The Mozart of Madras".

Arts and dance

Tamils have a large number of folk dances. These are performed for every possible

occasion, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, birth of a child, weddings and

festivals. Tamil dance is closely intertwined with the Tamil theatrical tradition. The

most celebrated of these is karakattam. In its religious form, the dance is performed

in front of an image of the goddess Mariamman. The dancer bears on his or her

head a brass pot filled with uncooked rice, decorated with flowers and surrounded

by a bamboo frame, and tumbles and leaps to the rhythm of a song without spilling

a grain. Karakattam is usually performed to a special type of song known as

temmanguppāṭṭu or thevar pāṭṭu, a folk song in the mode of a lover speaking to his

beloved, to the accompaniment of a nadaswaram and melam. Other Tamil folk

dances include mayilāṭṭam, where the dancers tie a string of peacock feathers

around their waist; ōyilāttam, danced in a circle while waving small pieces of cloth

of various colours; poikkal kuthiraiyaaṭṭam, where the dancers use dummy horses;

manattam, where the dancers imitate the graceful leaping of deer; paraiyāṭṭam, a

dance to the sound of rhythmical drumbeats, and thīppandāṭṭam, a dance involving

playing with burning wooden torches.

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu.

Bharatanatyam is thought to have been created by Bharata Muni, a Hindu sage,

who wrote the Natya Shastra, the most important ancient treatise on classical

Indian dance. In ancient times it was performed in Hindu temples byDevadasis. In

this form, it as also been called sadir or chinna melam. Many of the

ancient sculptures in Hindu temples are based on Bharata Natyam dance postures.

Bharatanatyam is a traditional dance-form known for its grace, purity, tenderness,

and sculpturesque poses. It continues to be a popular dance style at present times

and is practised by male and female dancers all over

India. Terukkuttu or Kattaikkuttu is a traditional form of Tamilstreet theatre folk

dance/drama.

Film industry

Tamil Nadu is also home to the Tamil film industry (sometimes called

as Kollywood). It is known for being the second largest film industry in terms of

revenue and worldwide distribution, in India. It is based at Kodambakkam in

Chennai.

Cuisine

Tamil cuisine is basically South Indian cuisine, where Rice and rice-derived dishes

form the major portion of a diet (see Rice and curry). There are regional sub-

varieties namely Chettinadu, Kongunadu, Madurai, Tirunelveli varieties etc.

Traditionally, food is served on a banana leaf instead of a plate and eaten with the

right hand. Rice is the staple food of Tamils and is typically eaten mixed

with Sambhar (with or without Ghee), vegetarian or non-vegetarian

Kulambu,Rasam, Curd and Buttermilk. This is accompanied with various

vegetarian and/or non-vegetarian dishes like Kootu, Aviyal, Poriyal, Appalam,

Varuval, Peratal, Kothsu, varieties of Pickles and Chicken / Mutton / Fish fry.

Breakfast and snack items include Dosai, Adai, Idly, Vadai, Pongal,

Appam(Aappam), Paniyaram, Puttu(Pittu), Uppumavu(Uppuma),

Santhakai(Noodles), Idiyappam and Uthappam. These items are eaten along

with Sambar, varieties of Chatniand Podi . Traditionally prepared Filter Coffee is

unique in taste and popular all over the state. The Chettinad region is famous for its

spicy non-vegetarian cuisine, while Ambur, Dindigal and Sankarankoil are known

for their Biriyani. Sweet items that are native to Tamil Nadu and prepared at homes

are Athirasam, Chakkarai Pongal (prepared during Pongal) and Kuli Paniyaram.

Tirunelveli is known for its unique wheat Halwa and Palani is renowned for its

Panchamirtham. In the recent past, North Indian, Western, Chinese and fast

food culture are also witnessing a steady growth in Tamil Nadu.

Chettinad

Chettinad (Tamil: செ�ட்டிநா�டு) is a region of the Sivaganga district of

southern Tamil Nadu state, India. Karaikudi is known as the capital of ChettinaD,

which includes Karaikudi and 74 (traditionally its said as 96) other villages.

Chettinad is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar), a prosperous

banking and business community, many of whose members migrated

to South and Southeast Asia, particularly Ceylon andBurma, in the 19th and early

20th centuries. The people of Chettinad speak Tamil. Today there is a diaspora of

Chettinad people, who live in the USA,Singapore, Malaysia, among other places.

Chettinad is well known for its Chettinad cuisine, Mansions, and Temples.

Chettinad Cuisine

Chettinad is known for its Culinary delicacies. Chettinad food, now is one of the

many reasons why people get to know Chettinad. Chettinad food is essentially

spicy, with a standard full meal consisting of cooked dhal, eggplant (brinjal) curry,

drumstick sambar, ghee for flavouring rice, and sweet meats like payasam and paal

paniyaram. "Kara kolambu" is a highly regarded south Indian sambar. Chettinad

delicacy:Aadi kummayam, its a mouth watering delicacy for the sweet toothed

ones, made from pulses.

Mansions

Chettinad is rich in cultural heritage, art and architecture, and is well known for its

houses, embellished with marble and Burma teak, wide courtyards, spacious

rooms, and for its 18th century mansions. Local legend has it that their walls used

to be polished with a paste made out of eggwhites to give a smooth texture.

Temples

Originally built by early Tamil dynasties like the Cholas, the temples of Chettinad

stand testimony to the spiritual beliefs of its denizens. Scattered over the whole

place, each temple has its own tank called oorani where water lilies are grown, and

used for holy rituals. Even today much of Chettinad's daily tidings are centered

around the festivities around the temple. Among the many famous temples, a few

are Vairavan Kovil temple, Karpaga Vinayakar temple, Kundrakudi

Murugan temple, Kottaiyur Sivantemple, Kandanur Sivan Temple.

The nearest airport is Madurai airport, 85 kilometers away. The largest town in the

area is Karaikudi. Trains that run from Chennai to Rameshwaram stop at

Karaikudi, kanadukaathan (chettinad station) and kallal

Karaikudi is also known for CECRI, a CSIR laboratory specialising in electro-

chemical research. The lab has been operational for more than forty years, and has

produced patents and inventions in the areas of battery research, corrosion

prevention, and paints among others.

The Chettinad Sari: This cotton sari is unique in the dramatic and spontaneous

use of colour and pattern with bold checks, stripes and contrasting hues. Its

vibrance and its weight are its distinguishing factors. The thickness of this sari

and changing demands have kept this sari out of production for nearly a

hundred years. Records and old photographs show the use of this sari by

previous generations, before the advent of blouses and underskirts, worn rather

differently from the regular sari.

Karaikudi - Chettinad House

The Chettinad houses are built on a rectangular traversal plot that stretches across

two streets, with the front door opening into the first street and the back into the

second. Looking in from the main threshold, your eye travels in a straight line

across a series of inner courtyards, each a diminishing rectangle of light, leading

out to the back door.

First comes an outer thinai - Large raised platforms on either side of the central

corridor, where the host would entertain male guests. The platforms lead off on one

side into store rooms and massive granaries and on the other, into the

(Kanakupillai ) or Accountant's room.This area also usually leads off to the men's

well. From here, the huge elaborately carved teak front door, with image of

Lakshmi carved over the head and navaratna or nine precious gems buried under

the (Vasapadi) threshold. The door leads into the first open air courtyard, with

pillared corridors running on each side that lead into individual rooms, each meant

for a married son, each with a triangular slot cut into the wall for the evening lamp.

Then comes the second counrtyard with large dining spaces on either side. The

third courtyard was for the women folk to rest and gossip, while the fourth, or

nalankattai comprised the kitchens, leading out to the backyard with its women's

well and grinding stones. The wealthier the merchants the larger the house, often

spreading out to a second floor.

The walls are of baked bricks, plastered over by a secret recipe of roots, yolk and

lime that leaves them silken smooth and washable; the tiles are Spanish; the floors

of Italian marble or locally - crafted Athangudi tiles; and the pillars of Burmese

teak, many houses have small turrets and elaborate guard houses on the terrace.

The carvings and friezes are not just Hindu pantheon but include British soldiers,

Victorian women, and scenes from the Raj. The chettiar's main intent was to make

his house a statement of his social success and he put everything into it, but the

pastiche of styles - Kerala Woodwork, neo-classical, Victorian, Anglo-Indian - is

Strangely not Vulgar. The airy courtyards seem somehow to absorb and mute

everything down inside. The outside are not always so lucky - colours, curves,

domes and arches often clash painfully but the message of splendour is not lost.

The display of wealth extended to other areas. At the chettinad railway station,

exactly opposite where the Raja of chettinad's first - class coach would halt, a

paved path leads through an arched gate to his private waiting room, where he

went directly without having to mix with the rabble at the station. The waiting

room and attached toilets are still furnished, with superb divans, recliners bidets

and washbasins, all in various stages of disrepair. There are three smaller such

buildings around, for lesser personages and family guests.

The practical detail inside the houses are rich: the courtyards supply ample light

and air (pickles and papads were dried there ) but leaving the rest of the house in

deep and cool shadow. The courtyards have tiles placed exactly under the strom-

water drain run right through the house, with stone stoppers carved exactly for

their mouths. Large stone vats for water and wooden bins for firewood line the

inner courtyards.

Walking through ghostly corridors looming with huge portraits and Belgian

mirrors, feet crunching on years of bat droppings that cover exquisite floor tiles....

it's easy to imagine these houses asleep in some sort of time capsule. But it's

unlikely they will stay that way. Already an immense portion of the chettiar

families belongings - pewter, brass porcelain, glass Burmese bamboo - is in the

local antique shops and being shipped across the world. Houses are being

dismantled and sold piece-meal, with carved doors, pillars and friezes in high

demand in India and abroad.

Some Chettiars have stepped in to start the process of conservation. The

Meyyappans have converted the family clubhouse into The bangala, preserving its

past graciously while the S.A.R. Muthiah family has opened up some rooms in its

vast family mansion to tourists for a home-living experience. Muthiah Chettiar, the

Raja of Chettinad, has opened his house in Kanadukathan for public viewing,

while his brother's house next door has a floor converted to a museum that displays

everything associated with the Chettiars - masala dabbas and Rukmini ( choppers),

coconut scrapers and travelling spice boxes. The Tamil Nadu government is

making noises about converting this into a tourist zone, revitalising the lost art of

Chettinad plastering, converting the bungalows into bed-and breakfast outlets. We

can only wait with trepidation to see the outcome of these plans.

Walking though the mansions, we find many rooms tightly locked. with the

individual owners' names carved on door sills. The caretakers tell me the rooms are

still full of vessels, artefacts, Kitchen tools and furniture, waiting for their owners

to claim them. Some families do return occasionally, for weddings and big days,

but the occasions become fewer with time.