:-) the rambler strikes again. Probable reason: too much sugar. On 2/7/08, Abhijit Menon-Sen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <snip> > > (but again, not in all languages - in Malayalam and Tamil, they are > > respectively called charkarai and chakkara, AFAIK - there are also > > cheenchakkari, chenjeeni etc in colloquial refs) . > > BTW, in Malayalam, cc sugar is usually called "pan[cha]sara". I've only > heard the "charkarai" form used for gur or perhaps palm sugar. Is there > a similar distinction in Tamil? > Thanks! I forgot this pansarai funda. We used to have Nair neighbours and they used to tell us that from region to region there were different and slightly varying references to sugar and that anyway only after moving to Madras they even 'saw' white sugar!
vella chakkarai - pounded and granulated gud/jaggery panam-khandu - palm khand panam-cheeni :-) - palm sugar panai-vellam - palm jaggery etc etc... > > There are some recorded instances of cc sugar being imported into > > western india from china (during circa 1-200 ad) > > Fascinating. I did not know that. What route did it take? > When there were no wars in the NE, NW and N of India, there was very little that was imported from china as there was no need to import sugar as it was never an issue of scarcity then. During wars, however, the sea routes were used (malacca straits, ceylon, round kanyakumari and onwards to either musiri or kollam or n other ports near what are now famous as Kanhoji Angre's (one of the greatest naval strategists and admirals) port bastions. In any case, the shipments apparently werent huge or anything, White crystalline sugar must have been a 'delicacy' considering everything (my take) - the echoes of a similar context are found in paperback 'pioneer' recap literature of North America, such as that of Laura Ingalls Wilder. That white sugar be used for 'company' and as a status symbol. > > * Om Prakash - Food and drinks in ancient India > > I think I'll try to find a copy of that. Speaking of which, I should go > to the book fair in Delhi before it ends. > Good luck and warm regards: __r.
