Tamil Cuisine: A Key to Promote Tourism in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Its best, to make a man happy, by giving delicious food goes the saying. It applies very well for the tourists and tourism industry in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has topped the popularity charts for both domestic and foreign tourists for the second year in a row upsetting Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala. Tamil Nadu Cuisine is a major principal factor in drawing the national and international tourists due to its diverse and delicious taste, texture, range of colours, presentation and novelty. The Tamil cuisine is one of the oldest surviving cuisines and has significantly influenced the cuisines of neighboring states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Maharashtra. The Tamil Nadu traditional food items especially in Chettinad, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Kongu regions offer a distinctive tang and forms an magnetic reason to enhance tourist arrivals. From Chennai to Kanyakumari Madurai to Thanjavur, and Coimbatore and in all towns and cities you get refreshing mouth-watering Tamil delicacies like Idly, Dosa, Vada, SambarChettinad items which makes the guest to visit again and again. Chennais Vada curry, Madurais KonarKadaikaradosai, Jigardhanda, karaikudichettinad special items, Coimbatores KonguNadu delicacies kambukoozhu, vazhaipoovadai, Kumbakkonam-degree filter coffee, Kancheepuram idly, NagarcoilNanjilNadu Special Ulunthanchoru (dish made of black gram lentils, rice and coconut), Dindugal, Ambur Special Biryani, Vellore Arcot Special Sweet MakkanPeda, Virudhunagar & Sengottai special Parotta, Tuticorin Celebrity item Macroon, Tirunelveli World famous Iruttu Kadai Halwa, Kovilpatti Candy paradise(peanut chocolate), Nagore Special 5 Variety rice, Srivilliputhur traditional Milk Sweet Palkova, Coimbatore Roadside Mushroom, Nilgiris and Ooty Special Varki and home made Chocolates Manaparaimurukku, Pazhani-Panchamrutham are few delicacies which attracts lot of tourists. Tamil Nadu stands first in attracting Domestic as well as International tourists due to its diverse culinary elegance. The aroma of Tamil culinary skill has reached foreign shores, attracting foreign tourists in hordes to idyllic landscape of Tamil Nadu. Domestic tourists from other states of India are having a great fondness to taste Tamil authentic dishes and due to that visit the state often. Both vegetarian and non vegetarian foods are popular in Tamil Nadu. While the non-vegetarian dishes are all heavily spiced, the vegetarian is mildly spiced and feels light. There are few challenges in tasting this Tamil cuisine by the foreigners in regard to the spiciness, language issues and other factors too. Few findings and suggestions are provided in the end of this paper. This paper also attempts how the various Tamil culinary delicacies in various districts of Tamil Nadu can promote the tourism.

Keywords: Tamil Nadu, Cuisine, Delicacies, Tourism, Promotion

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