CHENNAI: Coimbatore mavattam stall number two la pathu plate mutton biryani mattum irruku. Tirunelveli halwa try pannanga. Chennai mavattam la spicy ana chicken 65 irukku! Vanga vanga!”. Loud announcements beckoned a sea of people at Marina Beach, urging them to step foot into a culinary journey. For those in search of a food map of Tamil Nadu, look no further than the Unnavu Thiruvizha at Marina Beach. The smell of biryani wafted as visitors piled plates with mutton kheema balls from Thanjavur and Dindigul biryani to boli varieties from Erode.
The fete — organised by the Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihood Movement (TNULLM) under the guidance of the Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation (TNWDC) — provided an opportunity for 150 women from 65 Self-Help Groups and put a spotlight on dishes from all 32 districts.For 30-year-old Parameshwari from Kallakurichi, it was a chance to display her homestyle pickles and relishes.
From vatha kuzambu mix, peratal, sambu vengayam pickle, to karuvadu pickle, she brought eight of her treasured recipes to the city. “My dishes have Nalla Ennai (gingelly oil), they’re good for your body, activate it, help digestion and benefit the skin. These are ingredients we carry through generations, and I am glad to bring dish from my district to a state platform,” says the SHG member.
“In the Chettinad region, the ukkarai sweet, vellai paniyaram, mutton gravy, chicken pepper are specialities. It’s been three days, and it took us a while to understand the process and sale process but it is nice to see people here,” says a volunteer from Sivaganagi, serving up ghee rice and chicken curry to a volunteer. “In the village, there is not much of a market for such products and sales are difficult due to lack of opportunity.
This event aims at promoting and creating livelihoods for women, giving women the opportunity to learn to be entrepreneurs,” says R Madesh, assistant project officer from TNULLM, adding that the festival drew at least 50,000 people the first two days and over one lakh on Sunday till afternoon.
Crowd out of control
However, the crowds were uncontrollable with many unable to enter past the snaking lines; several visitors complained of a lack of chairs, and accessible seating for persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children. For Smitha Sadasivan, it took 20 minutes to reach the queue, and she expressed that while it was fascinating to witness different menus and stalls, it was difficult for people with disabilities, including wheelchair users, to navigate the queue.
“Maybe, if persons with disabilities had been given a priority queue with some mechanism where volunteers could have supported us, it would have been better. There could have been an accessible space where persons with disabilities and the elderly could stay at the event and get our food served by ordering online,” explains the member of Disability Rights Alliance.
With the heat, the crowd, and the lack of access, it proved difficult for many to navigate the crowd. Kumbakonam-based Mahalakshmi says, “It is difficult to enter and pass, especially when you have children. This event could have used a bigger space for convenience. We took our food to the beach and sat there because of lack of space.” Echoing these thoughts, Shincy adds, “It was too crowded, needed better organisation, and for us from outside the state visiting the festival, English boards would have been useful.”
The Food Festival will run until December 24 on Marina Beach. Admission is free.