At 10 every morning, the chimes
of Madurai Meenakshi Temple begin, for puja. Devotees make a beeline for
darshan. Opposite the lofty West Tower there is another queue forming, in front
of a small dingy sweet shop.
With a nondescript exterior, the
shop bears a board that announces ‘Nagapattanam Halwa Kadai’ in bold letters,
beneath which in small type is the keyword ‘Estd. 1901’.
Circular tray, loaded with
steaming halwa inside a glass case, at the entrance. Trays of boondhi, mixture,
pepper sev and onion pakodas are neatly arranged in a row over the next few
minutes. At 10.30 am sharp, a silver tray
of flavoursome potato masala is brought out. Fiery red in colour with traces of
glistening oil on top, the dish looks inviting. Half-a-dozen of the pottalams for
Rs10 each. 100-gram portion of the
blobby-gooey, sugary delicacy, neatly served in a delicate mandharai leaf, for
just Rs 20. The mandharai leaf keeps the
masala fresh for a whole day and the halwa comes with a shelf life of 15 days.
Our customers even pack the halwa for friends and relatives abroad.”
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