The Iyers of Kumbakonam are known far and wide for their discipline, devotion, and above all, their food. For generations, their homes have been places where tradition and hospitality go hand in hand-where every meal is treated as a sacred offering and every guest is considered family. Their cooking, rooted in Vedic practices, is wholesome, sattvic, and deeply connected to the rhythm of temple life in the town.
I grew up in one such Iyer household in Kumbakonam, a temple town where dawn always begins with the sound of bells and the fragrance of jasmine. In our family, life revolved around two things: rituals and food. And to us, food was never just food. It was a sacred offering-first to the divine, and then to the people we loved.
I vividly remember the mornings at home. The floor would be decorated with Kolam before the first flame was lit in the kitchen. My mother, in her madisar saree on special days, would begin grinding fresh spices in brass vessels, while the aroma of filter coffee filled the air. My father and she would sip that coffee together, talking about the day ahead. By the time the sun had properly risen, idlis and dosas were already steaming in the kitchen.
Lunch was always the highlight. Home grown banana leaf would be spread on the floor, and one by one the dishes found their place-Every dish has its place and purpose: paruppu with ghee, sambar rich with ground spices, rasam bubbling with pepper and tamarind, nourishing kootu, coconut-laced poriyal, crispy appalam, and a touch of tangy pickle. The meal often ends with the simplicity of curd rice, or the sweetness of jaggery payasam scented with cardamom.
Meals are served as a family, bringing everyone in the household together, seated cross-legged, eating with their hands. The act of mixing rice with sambar, rasam, or curd by hand is seen as an intimate connection with food-one that engages all the senses and fills the heart with gratitude. In an Iyer household, food is memory, culture, and spirituality-all served on a single banana leaf.
When I moved away, I missed this the most. The sounds, the smells, the feeling of home on a banana leaf. And I knew many of us who left our towns and villages carried the same longing. That’s why I created Iyer’s here in Dubai. My dream was simple: to bring a piece of our Agraharam food culture to everyone who misses it, and to share it with those who have never experienced it before.
So, when you sit here, know that you are not just a customer, you are my guest. Each member of my team has been asked to welcome you as if you’ve walked into our home in Kumbakonam. Because to us, food is not just what we serve on your plate; it’s the love, devotion, and fond memories that come with it.
Vijay
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Shop No G7 & G8, Platinum Tower Cluster-I, JLT, Dubai, UAE
Open today | 08:00 am – 11:00 pm |
