Deepavali marundhu: A memoir of this mainstay in Tamil households

Lifestyle By Rama Ramana 10/11/2023 Read the article

The marandhu is important for the gut for the deluge of Deepavali delicacies. Precisely why it was prepared first by Shanthi Ramachandran, a resident of KK Nagar in Chennai.

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“Unlike my amma, my mother-in-law, who was from Tanjore, used to get 15-20 medicinal ingredients from the naatu marundu kadai (country medicine shop).

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She would dry them in the sun, and roast them. Then it would be powdered and jaggery, ghee and honey, were added, laughs Ramachandran.

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At baker Aarthi Santhanam’s home too, Deepavali marundhu was a mainstay. Santhanam grew up in a joint family set-up where festivals were celebrated with fervour and feast.

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The story is not different at digital content creator Priya Iyer’s home. When the fragrance of the many spices used in the legiyam fills their house, does she start feeling Deepavali-ready!

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This was also the reason Santhanam decided to flavour her cookies with marundhu. The combination of jaggery, ghee, pepper and honey seemed ideal for small modern bites.

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The making of legiyam, however, is not restricted to the festive season in these homes. All three say it is a hit in their families and also it has great immunity and overall health benefits.

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The last word rests with Iyer who cannot imagine Deepavali without traditions. “Legiyam is my connection with my roots, my way of passing on my legacy to my daughter,” she signs off.

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