Legendary writer R.K Narayan is said to have insisted on indulging in a sweet after his meal even when in his nineties. Modern day food habits seem to have forsaken taste in favour of longevity. Sugar free, fat free, cholesterol free and every other item that makes food worthwhile doesn’t seem to be the order of the day. Succinctly, one asks, what is the purpose of healthy food, if it is meant to help us live longer, and eat some more bland, healthy food? Being born in a diverse country such as ours, there is one depravation we never have to worry about being subject to – festivals and the spread that accompanies them. These spreads are not subject to the vestiges of the health movement and being born in Tam Brahm household, a slew of festivals ensure that our taste buds are never idle for too long. All the dishes were assiduously prepared by the matriarch of the house, my grandmother. The year begins with ‘pongal’, the harvest festival. Steaming bowls of pongal and del