A Wedding in West Mambalam

Thanks Rajesh! You have recreated a world of rose water and jasmine and payasam with great skill. I note you mention Tirunelveli as your original ``native place.`` I believe my origins may be traced from that dot on the map as well. For Tambrahms all over the world, this piece will bring back wonderful memories. It has been many years since I enjoyed an authentic wedding in the best traditions of yesteryear.

Thanks Rajesh! You have recreated a world of rose water and jasmine and payasam with great skill. I note you mention Tirunelveli as your original ``native place.`` I believe my origins may be traced from that dot on the map as well. For Tambrahms all over the world, this piece will bring back wonderful memories. It has been many years since I enjoyed an authentic wedding in the best traditions of yesteryear.
reva315@yahoo.com

Hello Rajesh,

This piece brings back fond memories. I used to live with my parents until 2000 and travelled through West Mambalam everyday to my workplace in Vadapalani. I still remember the lovely restaurants there and the fantastic food which got even better at weddings - having a vast number of Tamil Brahmin as well as Udupi Brahmin friends gave me invitations to several weddings.

Moving to the USA has taken away this simple but fantastic pleasure, especially the fantastic coffee that only Tamil Brahmins can make in my opinion.

Thanks for bringing back some fantastic memories!

You felled two birds (or mangais?) with one stone - the popular nostalgia genre combined with contemporary description!
Don`t be surprised by the cool reception - south indian stuff doesn`t go over well here.
You should have ended your piece with Gandhiji zindabad to elicit more reaction :)

This was just exquisite! Beautifully and simply narrated. My mouth has been watering all throughout the reading.

A treat Mr Shankaran. thank you so much.

its time for chow chennai..

i have not had luck of eating at a weddign in chennai, but i have a good meal at an eatery called saravan bhavan, pretty good.

Rajesh,

A beautiful and nostalgic article. This article just reminds me of all the weddings I have attended in old times. With buffet means being the flavour of the day, reading about the old-styled arrangements broght back fond memories,

Thanks for sharing this with us,

Now, this West Mambalam, where exactly is this?

Thanks,

nice article
I always visit t nagar but never visit West Mambalam
What is there in West Mambalam ?

Wonderfully written. Reading it gave me much pleasure, though I am not sure how many readers on this forum will get the Tamil or TamBram references.

Fried appalams are still served in most weddings, as well as other occasions. `Sutta appalam` is strictly for home meals - that too when only family members are eating, never for guests. Pappadams cannot be `suttufied`, they will char.

Where sweets are concerned, do they still serve `badusha` and `palpeni`, I wonder?