Namma Madras
Wonders of Mylapore
We all know the greatness of namma Mylapore - famous temples (both Shiva and Vishnu), concert halls and drama stages, Tamil culture at its best, best schools and educational institutions, hospitals, shops, vegetables; you ask for anything, you get the best in Mylapore.
Today I will introduce to you another legend from Mylapore ---- the Dabba Chetty Kadai.
This shop for herbal medicines was started 132 years ago in 1885 at the Kutchery Road in Mylapore near Arundale Street by one Mr. Krishnaswamy Chetty. They dealt with all sorts of herbal medicines. Whatever the consumer wanted, the shop will weigh that and pack it in a container and give it to the customer. Thus, the shop's name "changed" to dabba chetty kadai (dabba in Tamil means container). It is known as dabba chetty kadai only for the past 130 years !!
Initially, the shop used to sell only the raw ingredients (like milagu - pepper, grambu-clove, sukku-dry ginger, etc.). My mother used to purchase these and grind it at the house. Even my wife and sisters did in this way. Then, it changed to powder form - dabba chetty will sell it as a powder. You purchase the powders, mix them, heat them etc in your house. Now, the kadai sells in the form of finished-product !! Purchase and straightaway consume it.
One gets a to z of the herbal ingredients here - they purchase not only from the whole-salers of George Town, Chennai, but also from states like Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra etc. for best quality. And freshness.
Their "Prasava Marunthu" (the one given to a woman post-delivery for 21 to 41 days) has 21 different ingredients. Every new-mother in our family, like millions of others, has eaten this marunthu. The Deepavali Legium has more than 18 ingredients, excellent for general digestion. On the morning of Deepavali day, we traditionally and mandatorily eat a table-spoon of this tasty and medicinal Legium.
As this year's Deepavali is fast approaching (Oct 18th), my mind flew to the Legium, and so this write-up.
Rajappa
10-09-2017
Wonders of Mylapore
We all know the greatness of namma Mylapore - famous temples (both Shiva and Vishnu), concert halls and drama stages, Tamil culture at its best, best schools and educational institutions, hospitals, shops, vegetables; you ask for anything, you get the best in Mylapore.
Today I will introduce to you another legend from Mylapore ---- the Dabba Chetty Kadai.
This shop for herbal medicines was started 132 years ago in 1885 at the Kutchery Road in Mylapore near Arundale Street by one Mr. Krishnaswamy Chetty. They dealt with all sorts of herbal medicines. Whatever the consumer wanted, the shop will weigh that and pack it in a container and give it to the customer. Thus, the shop's name "changed" to dabba chetty kadai (dabba in Tamil means container). It is known as dabba chetty kadai only for the past 130 years !!
Initially, the shop used to sell only the raw ingredients (like milagu - pepper, grambu-clove, sukku-dry ginger, etc.). My mother used to purchase these and grind it at the house. Even my wife and sisters did in this way. Then, it changed to powder form - dabba chetty will sell it as a powder. You purchase the powders, mix them, heat them etc in your house. Now, the kadai sells in the form of finished-product !! Purchase and straightaway consume it.
One gets a to z of the herbal ingredients here - they purchase not only from the whole-salers of George Town, Chennai, but also from states like Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra etc. for best quality. And freshness.
Their "Prasava Marunthu" (the one given to a woman post-delivery for 21 to 41 days) has 21 different ingredients. Every new-mother in our family, like millions of others, has eaten this marunthu. The Deepavali Legium has more than 18 ingredients, excellent for general digestion. On the morning of Deepavali day, we traditionally and mandatorily eat a table-spoon of this tasty and medicinal Legium.
As this year's Deepavali is fast approaching (Oct 18th), my mind flew to the Legium, and so this write-up.
Rajappa
10-09-2017
Comments