On any given day, rather night, if you happen to visit the peaceful Thiruvanmyur beach at around 9 pm, you will see a flurry of activity at one end of the stretch. An aged couple along with a bicycle will be spotted surrounded by a large crowd. The moment you approach them, you will realise that the couple is actually selling glasses of deliciously creamy buttermilk to their customers. What is special about their buttermilk, you ask? Well, you need to get a glass of the special brew to know the answer.
A native of Kuripungulam in Thoothukudi district,Ramajeyam a.k.a. Thatha Mor (54) and his wife R. Pameela (44) sell fresh buttermilk garnished with raw mango, cucumber and boondi. A glass of the special drink costs about Rs 25 and is quite filling. The interesting bit is how despite manually serving out glass after glass of buttermilk, the couple ensure that you get similar quantity of mango, cucumber and boondi in every glass.
Every day, he buys more than 30 litres of full cream milk to prepare fresh buttermilk. Add-ons such as fresh-cut mangoes, cucumber and spicy boondhi give the buttermilk, its special taste and aroma. Apart from this, if you ask him about the seasoning, he will never disclose the secret. He says it this secret seasoning that sets his drink apart. He also sells Masala paal for which he buys milk separately.
On a summer evening, it is refreshing to have a glass of the cold buttermilk. It is tasty and healthy as compared to any aerated drink.
