What makes a South Indian celebration memorable? It could be the crunch of freshly made kodubale, a ragi laddoo passed around, filter coffee poured into a davara tumbler, or the rituals that bring communities together. Bengaluru recently brought these familiar flavours and traditions to The Big South Indian Festival – a celebration of regional food, stories and culture. While food took centre stage at this festival, experiences such as storytelling, games, Yakshagana performances and activities took people back to their childhood.‘Celebration has never been just about one thing’Food historian Rakesh Raghunathan, who was part of the festival, says the mix of food, music, games, and rituals reflects how celebrations have traditionally unfolded across South India. “Celebration has never been just about one thing. It has always been around art, culture, food, music, games, rituals, and of course, storytelling — all of these have seamlessly co-existed,” he says.‘Food connects us to the memory’“Food has that unique ability to transport us. There’s a familiar taste, an aroma, or even the way something is served that can take you back to a person or a particular place. Across South India, every dish, every spoonful of what we savour has a story: the story of communities, seasonal eating, rituals, and the whole migration of how those recipes have evolved and travelled, along with generations of knowledge that have been passed down. This is really what makes food such a powerful connector. So when we share food, we’re not just sharing something to eat; we’re sharing a part of our memory and our identity as we do that,” shares Rakesh.
