Click to play videoThe history of south India can be traced back to over 2,000 years. However, it was only 50 years ago when the four southern states were created along linguistic lines.
CNN-IBN unveils the changing face of south India and celebrates the Dravidian spirit in a special series The Golden South.
Chennai: If you thought curd rice is preferred to chettinad chicken in Tamil Nadu, you are wrong. A CNN-IBN-Hindu exclusive survey shows that only 8 per cent of Tamilians are vegetarians, breaking the myth about their food habits.
"It's just a misconception that Tamil Nadu is vegetarian. Actually the South is more non-vegetarian than the North," food critic, Marien Mathew says.
And the number of meat eaters is growing in the state. Many people from traditionally vegetarian families now salivate at the thought of chicken chettinad and prawn biryani.
"In vegetarian food you won't find that much aroma. But the masalas in non-vegetarian food is so overpowering. It attracts you," Ganesh, who is a staunch Iyer, says.
So, when craving for meat becomes unavoidable and it's not allowed inside the kitchen at home, one usually heads for the many non-vegetarian hotels in the city.
"Our popular dishes are fish curt, mutton chokku and chettinadu chicken," Manager, Anjappar Chettinadu hotel, Suresh says.
Tamil Nadu is also famous for military hotels and they have nothing to do with the defense services. These hotels say that they are simply trying to make one associate the meat they serve with the fitness and toughness of a military man.
At the end of the day, it's the taste buds that are the decision makers, not religion and not the accusing finger of your vegetarian family.
"My grandmother threatened me saying I'm a sinner. But I never stopped eating non-vegetarian food. I enjoy it and don't find a reason to give it up," a non-vegetarian, Padma says.
But what's interesting is the reverse effect of lifestyle, Padma's son who lived abroad used to eat "anything that flies or swims or crawls".
But once he moved back to India, he turned vegetarian, for spiritual and practical reasons.
"India or for me, Chennai, is the easiest place to be vegetarian. There are so many options," a software engineer, Bharadwaj says.
Tamil Nadu remains primarily non-vegetarian and food habits are more about individual choice now. Almost no one lets their community's hand touch what's on their plate – it's either a matter of principle or simply what your taste buds demand.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.