Made in Madras

Madras has a rich cultural heritage, from the humble milagu rasam to the iconic Madras Checks pattern. The Madras Terrace roofing technique, N.C. powder, and Vencatachellum Madras Curry Powder are some of the unique offerings from the city. Gana music has also gained worldwide recognition.

The humble milagu rasam, a comfort food during Chennai’s monsoon, has travelled the world as millagutawny or mulligatawny soup.

The dish was discovered by the British in Madras and they popularised it because they believed it helped relieve cold and fever. Since the British are used to thick soups, they added agents to the rasam to thicken it.

The dish is now offered in elite hotels.

A road at Korukkupet in Chennai was called Snuff Mill Road owing the presence of many a snuff powder manufacturers in the locality. The snuff powder ‘N.C. powder’ still being made in Chennai is considered special as ghee/vanaspati is added while grinding the tobacco.

A prominent feature in lungies, handkerchiefs and now even in sarees, the Madras Checks pattern is world-renowned and has been adapted into several garments and styles the world over.

The dialect of Chennai — ‘Madras Baashai’ was borrowed liberally from other languages, including Telugu, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, among others.

Madrasis had evolved a way of cooling down themselves and their homes, through a roofing technique called the ‘Madras Terrace’.