AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 AN EXPLORATION OF POPULAR FOOD ITEMS IN TAMILNADU – SOME EVIDENCES Dr. R. Panneerselvam Associate Professor, Centre for Tourism and Hotel Management, Madurai Kamaraj University, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai – 625021 ABSTRACT India is a country where there is different strata people Bhramin sutra kshytriya and vaisiya communities as per our own traditional sections of the society and each of them are having their own traditional food consumed Bhramins and vaisiya never eat non-veg items and other may have their own preference towards selecting non-veg items. Our own Indian Vedas prescribed certain food items to certain sections of the people. Consumption of food is purely based upon their own traditional living pattern and their very old cuisine items. A food habit may vary from one region to another region in South India rice with Sambar and Rasam and other eatables curry kootu, aviyal, poriyal, thuvayal and curd bath is the most prominent item where as in North India Chappathi or roti with dhal is the only essential food. Even in South India, Andhra meals chilli powder is largely used in preparing ingredients items, In Karnataka Jaggery with tamarind rasam is the most popular items and in Kerala puttu or kappae kilangu with nendran banana fruit is used for preparing chips, bajji and others. In Tamil Nadu, valaipoo keari vadai, Potato bonda, banana bajji are the most cheap food items available in tea shops. One can easily see the tea drinkers in Ooty and Nilgiris consumed varki as a porrai items. This present research embodies an analytical study on the trends and pattern of food habits of Tamil Nadu people. Keywords: Trends – Pattern – Different Cuisines – Consumption – Attitude INTRODUCTION It is considered, that the Aryans set the agricultural outlines of food production that still exists in India. The farming of rice, pulses, beans, peas, wheat, linseed and even hemp is pointed out in the Yajurveda, but the Rig Veda does not state rice or wheat, only barley (yava). Thus makes barley one of the earliest grains known to India. One is curious to know about the food eaten by the Aryans. Inferences about the food of the Harappa’s are made from the archaeological relics but there is conversely, little or no proof of their cooking habits. On the other hand, there are recorded facts of food eaten by the Aryans, in the Rig Veda and other books. Barley was fried in ghee and mannered into cakes or fried and then dipped in honey. Bengali sweets could outline its ancestry to this technique. Rice came in afterward, but went on to take over the food scene. Common supplements with rice were ghee, curds, pulses or meat. Wheat however not revealed in the Rig Vedas, finds cite in the Yajurveda and the Brahmans. Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1331 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 NATIONAL STATUS The Aryans consumed fruit juices from a very early stage. Juice taken from the mango, jamun, banana, grapes, coconut and edible water lily were quite common. According to the Sutras, hospitality is one of the five responsibilities of the householder. Eating before offering to the gods, brahmanas and guests was considered improper. Sacrificial priests, father-in- law and a king were believed especially praiseworthy of hospitality, but one couldn’t disrespect even a sutra or a lower born as a guest. As well these, the minor individuals were also fed. Purity of food and hygiene while preparing food was greatly anxious upon. Food prepared during the night or that, which had gone unpleasant, was considered unfit for consumption. Commercially available foods were discouraged, especially ones that were flavoured. The existence of hair, insects or rat droppings in food was not tolerable. Food smelt by human beings or animals was not eaten and so was food touched by the lower castes. There are numerous rules of good manners for dining, most of which are based on coherent. Progressively as the Aryans extend themselves throughout India, the entire country modified to their ways of food and life. Amongst pulses the three prominent ones were urad, mung and masur. Rajma as well makes a look and meat was generally eaten. Animals such as ox, goat, bird, buffalo, humped bull and sheep were killed for food. Animals were killed at sacrament sacrifices and the meat would then be eaten. Dogs, village cock, boar and carnivorous animals were believed diet forbidden. The taboo was relented only for times of distress. Though, it should be illustrious that meat eating was promoted only when there were guests or as offering to the gods. Barley is one of the oldest grains. Rice came in greatly soon after, but it quickly found a position of importance. Meat eating was general, but killing animals other than for eating or spiritual sacrifices, was not encouraged. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY India is not only rich in heritages and monuments but also her sweet savouries and delicious dishes served along with their regular meals. North Indian are always interested to taste South Indian meals not only because of its of its dietary contents but also its sweets and different tastes of arusuavai unavus especially in the parts of Tamil Nadu each and every districts are having its own traditional heritage foods and also a different methods of the preparation style of foods. Our own ancient sangam Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1332 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 literature strongly advocated five types of food like millet and honey for kurunji frontier, fish items for marudam frontier and so on. People have chances of tasting pure vegetarian meals with 4 side dishes which is located in Trichy Madura cafe. In the evening time Chitra Annam like Tamarind bath, Kalkandu bath, Lemon bath, Sweet Pongal, Curry leaves bath, Coriander bath which is served by the age old famous Iyer Road caterer. Similarly Tanjore is not only famous for Thalayati Bommai but also famous for Ashoka Halwa Tiruvaiyaar, Kumbakonam Degree coffee, Mayavaram karugudi onion dosas. One cannot see anywhere in India except Trichy a famous evening snacks namely pattanam pakkoda prepared by aadhikudi coffee club which is having larger customers from bureaucrats to politicians. In Nagercoil Sankaralingam Pillai gidh shop is famous for Thanni Meen kulambu which is frequently tasted by late MG Ramachandran former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. In Northern parts of Tamil Nadu like Vellore, Gudiyatham, Vallajah, Ambur and Vaniyambadi is famous for Ambur Mughal Briyani and Makkan Peda savory which is available only in Vellore. Similarly Chennai is having a higher chance of tasting bucket Briyani stalls served by Ya Mohaideen Briyani and SS Hyderabad Briyani. In Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri area one can easily found the serving of Kal Dosa which is made from Uri dhal. IMPORTANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH For centuries Tamil Nadu has been dominated by the Dravidian culture. The cuisine of Tamils therefore is distinctly different from that of the north, which is primarily wheat-based. The classic foods of Tamil Nadu center on rice and lentils with liberal use of coconut. Though equally balanced between vegetarian and nonvegetarian delicacies, Tamil food is better known for its mouth-watering and piping hot idlis and dosas, which have now become all-India favourites and popular in many parts of the world. Both these are made from a fermented batter of ground rice and lentils. For idli, the batter is steamed into small puffy disks while dosa batter is spread thinly on a griddle and cooked into a crispy crepe/ pancake type of a dish. Both dishes are traditionally eaten with coconut chutney and sambar, a thick soup of lentils, tamarind and vegetables. These are pure vegetarian. A Tamil meal by tradition served on a banana leaf, with each dish placed in a particular spot on the leaf and designed to be eaten in a certain order, with definite arrangements of the dishes mixed together with the fingers. Before eating, a small portion of each food is set aside in the upper corner as an offering to God. Meals are taken placed on the floor, and traditionally, the host constantly replenishes any food that is finished until the diner folds his or her leaf in half. This tradition is fast vanishing. Volume 8, Issue 7, 2020 http://aegaeum.com/ Page No: 1333 AEGAEUM JOURNAL ISSN NO: 0776-3808 The best Tamil food is prepared at home by women who have learned the secrets of every dish and spice mixture from generations of mothers and mothers-in-law. Amma in Tamil means mother and even the most highly trained chefs can’t quite duplicate the complex mixture of knowledge and love that an Indian Amma puts into her meals. Though varieties of Tamil vegetarian food are spread throughout the state with its flavour spreading to neighbouring Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the most popular cuisines are invariably non-vegetarian. Among these the Chettinad cuisine takes place of primacy though there equally traditional and delicious cuisines- Kongunad and Nanjilnad exists. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Vengatasubbu Reddiars studies on South Indian food during 2010 summarized that most of the popular items of Tamil Nadu is largely sold in the hotels in all parts of Tamil Nadu both as a breakfast and supper items. Kumar (2012) insisted that coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds as they are the major source of nutrition and staple food of a major part of the rural India and also dealt in detail about the popular food items of Tamil Nadu prevailed. They are easily cultivated in rain-fed areas and even in drought.