We are in the Chettinad region in the village of Karaikudi. Visalam is a 15 room palatial home that will be our home for tonight.The pigs have traveled to this region to see the architecture in the Kanadukathan heritage zone,visit some local craftsmen,and enjoy authentic Chettinad cuisine.
We arrive around lunch time. Johnny,the manager, invites us to join him for a traditional Chettinad meal. Authentic Chettinad cuisine comes, in all its goodness,a tribute to nature,the land and of course the Chettinad women who made use of every seed,every fruit and every vegetable that the land gives life to.
Our place mats and plates are large banana leaves. It is an interactive kitchen so the chef serves each person dollops of relishes, curries, vegetables, fish, mutton , rice and yogurt. We are instructed to begin BUT...where is my fork? My spoon? "You must eat with your hands" Johnny tells us with a smile.The pigs being good students of Indian etiquette know that you should always eat with your right hand only.This little piggy forgot and ate with both hands.
I am sitting next to Johnny for the meal.This could be a real problem. Remember I am the picky eater pig....can I come through for the team? I can and I did (although I had as much food in my lap as I did in my mouth)! I learned how to mix certain vegetables and relishes with the rice which allowed me to scoop the mixture with my fingers. What a fun and delicious meal!
Karaikudi is a village of beautifully built homes alive with never ending stories of a bygone era.It is a land frozen in time. Walking through several of the homes gave us a real feel for this unique architecture. We saw an unrenovated but lived in home as well as a renovated one. Both were beautifully decorated with wooden carved teakwood columns,old pictures and incredible tiled floors. The materials used came from Burma,Sri lanka, Mauuiritius, Cambodia and Venice.
We visited craftsmen still practicing the old ways of making tiles, cotton fabrics, and snack food. The modern world seemed far away. Here in Chettinad you find a world of vibrant tradition and culture along with the simple joys of life.
M
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