In the sand, with the faint scent of rain at a distance, and gusty winds on a cool Friday evening, the spirit of Tulunadu of yore attempted to enthral and captivate.
However, ‘Aati Radd Dina’ (or two days of Aati), organised by the Rotary Club Mangalore Central and the Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project (PBTDP) on Panambur beach which started on Friday barely fulfilled what it had promised.
A total of 11 stalls - most of them luxury hotels - made up the ‘Aati’ pavilion, and in the menu that contained dosas, noodles, pastry and pan-Indian sweets, there was barely a smattering of traditional Aati food. Even the stall that displayed a meagre selection of traditional games and native foods was overshadowed by a stall selling water purifiers. Perhaps, this is why there a majority of those who came to the beach were instead enjoying their chaats, churmuris or ice creams by the shore and away from the pavilion.
However, there were traditional Aati delicacies - food made during the Aati season observed traditionally by agriculturists during the rainy season when work comes to a standstill - that came at a price in these stalls. These included pathradde (preparation of Colocasia leaves), pelakai gatti (jackfruit preparation), thekkareda adde (cucumber dosa), kori roti (crispy rice dosa), semedadde (vermicelli), arita roti (rice roti), temare chatney (brahmi chutney), fish and country chicken curries.
For the few at the pavilion, folk song and dance and performances of the Aati Kalenja (a ritual involving the exorcising of ‘demons’ that beset houses during the rainy season) were on display.
During his inauguration speech, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, said events like these were needed to propagate Tulu culture among the younger generation. “The culture is slowly getting phased out. Kids want pizza these days and not aati food… and industries, like the Niddodi power project, is threatening the livelihood and their traditions that is an integral part of Tulu culture,” he said.
