Akshaya Thritiya ... dosa .... Gold and silver dosa ??

A shop in Tirunelveli added two varieties of ‘dosa’ to its menu – one was priced at Rs.555/- the other was  Rs.333/- !!!

Picture representational and not those 2 dosa!!

The net is vibrant of the milling crowds at T Nagar – crowds and TNagar – strongly bonded.  The Kalyan Jewellers opening with Cine stars adding spice drew huge crowds and then yesterday, it was “Akshaya Tritiya”  rush… , mad frenzy for gold and by the way how many grams did you buy ?  Traders capitalised the sentiments by promoting Akshaya Tritiya; Do you know that until 1990,  the Gold Control Act forbade the private holding of gold bars in India.   Still rich men were possessing gold biscuits often said to weigh 10 tolas – they reportedly bought smuggled bars and buried them for making jewelleries for family wedding. 

Akshaya Tritiya is one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar and is considered ideal for new beginning and investment. One of the most important legends associated with observing Akshaya Trithiya is that of Lord Krishna and Kuchela. Another significant mythology is that of the Pandavas receiving the Akshay Patra from Krishna.  Now they are associating it with Parasurama too. 

The auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya marks great spurt in gold jewellery sales. The yellow metal has always had its share of symbolic value – rich invest in it; everybody wears and flaunts them.  Does it hae medicinal property too ?  in my younger days, people used to talk that MGR is shining because he takes ‘thanga paspam’-  thought to be a potion containing some Gold; whether it was Gold ash or some other herbs taken as ‘kaya kalpam’ one would never know !  In Siddha and Ayurveda, people say gold is an excellent source of medication !  The yellow metal is believed to be a rejuvenator !!

Dosas are the most sought after food in South Indian hotels……… the server might reel … kara dosai, kal dosai, set dosai, podi dosai, vegetable dosai; paneer dosai; mushroom dosai; cauliflower dosai; ghee roast; masala dosai; paper masala; maharaja dosai; …. Rava dosai, rava masala; pesarattu and more…….. and these pancakes are accompanied by chutnies of various taste and colour like – coconut chutney; mint chutney; kothamalli chutney; thakkali chutney; milagai podi (mirchi powder) and sambar – what a dish to savour and relish. 

Dosai is made of batter of rice and urad dal – these are mixed and soaked in water – some add fenugreek seeds too.  After hours, the water is drained and ground to make a grainy paste.  Some salt is added to the batter and kept in a large container – it will ferment and require more space.  Spreading of the batter in sweeping circular motion on the hot upper surface requires expertise – more so in taking it out in a round shape without getting shattered.

If you are wondering the relevance of this post and its link with Akshaya Tritaya – that hotel in Tirunelveli [news and photo courtesy Dinamalar] was serving ‘gold and silver dosas’.  According to the newsitem, they had imported a machine from Germany that converts the metals in to nice rakes which are placed upon the readymade masala dosa, malli dosa, podi dosa…..reportedly, each dosa had 50 mg of gold or silver and hence the price of Rs.555 & Rs.333 respectively.

What do you feel ? would you be inclined to eat ‘precious metal dosa’?

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

22^nd Apr 2015.