SOCIO-CULTURE of Tamil People Day-to-Day Life The Tamils are mainly rice-eaters. Sambar, Rasam, and Thayir ‘curd’ or Mor ‘buttermilk’ is mixed along with rice. Potato, beans, carrots, cabbage, eggplant, okra, and other vegetables are the side dishes. The majority of the Tamils are non-vegetarians, though their intake is mainly vegetarian food. On special occasions a kind of sweet dish known as Payasam is served. After taking meals, they occasionally chew betel leaf and areca nut. In urban areas, people favor the eatables (tiffen), Iddli, Dhosai, Puri, etc., and they drink coffee, tea or milk. In rural areas people take rice. Nowadays almost all the villages are being urbanized in this respect. Especially youngsters are fond of Tiffin in the morning times. It may also be mentioned that there are people in villages who usually take Kanchi (rice porridge) in the morning. Idlli, Vadai, Pongal, Upuma, Puri, Chappathi, Dhosai, etc., are the tiffin items. Iddli, Chatini and Sambar are more common items. As far as clothing is concerned, Tamil men wear Veshti (worn in the so-called lungi fashion) and Sattai ‘shirt’ and women wear Pudavai ‘sari’, and Ravikkai ‘blouse’. Men wear pants and shirts, too, though it’s not very common. Boys wear Kal sattai ‘half-pant’ and shirt. Young girls wear Dhavani ‘half-sari’, Pavadai ‘petty-coat’, and Ravikkai. Some orthodox men adorn themselves with turbans. Silk saris, namely, Kanchipattu pudavai woven in the town of Kanchipuram in Tami Nadu are famous for their durability and worn by ladies on special occasions. Ladies also wear a variety of ornaments. A few of them are, Modhiram ‘ring’, Valayal, ‘bangle’, Mukkuthi ‘nose ornament’, Thodu ‘ear ornament’, necklace ‘neck ornament’, Kolusi ‘leg ornament’, etc. Married women wear Tali ‘mangala sutra’ as the symbol for marriage. Generally men wear wristwatch, rings, etc. All these ornaments are made out of gold. In rural areas some people wear earrings, wrist-chains, etc. Almost all the people in the rural areas are agriculturists and agricultural laborers. The office-going people, daily wagers, business people and other laborers inhabit the urban areas. When known persons meet, they exchange respect and affection by the Tamil phrase vaanga vanakkam. This vaanga vanakkam (please do come/welcome/greeting) is similar to namasthe or namaskar, the greetings words used widely in the North India. At the time of departure pooy varukireen or simply varukireen is used. Though this means in the Tamil society literally come but implies now I go and will be back to meet you again.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 14:20:20 +0000
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