Antique Rail adukku/ Kaasi Pathiram from Tamilnadu

Antique Rail adukku/ Kaasi Pathiram

Antique Rail adukku/ Kaasi Pathiram/ Adukku Pathiram set, this is the original rail adukku, because 99% of so called rail adukkus we see mushrooming suddenly in todays market is faked up worse replica which is no where near to the original in concept or usablity.. Originally Rail adukkus were made as a complete all in one set of cooking vessels which are made to fit in a larger outer jacket vessel with a lid and which has twin eared holders to facilitate being carried around, most importantly at a nominal weight, which was much needed for a large joint family’s pilgrimage and travel cook, hold, reheat and serving needs, since vacation/pilgrimage travel in those days were mostly through the Rail/Trains and the vessel set which was made for that purpose took its name - Rail + Adukku = Rail Adukku, And since most pilgrimage undertaken those days were to Kaasi the vessel was also called as 'Kaasi Pathiram', Mostly these were made of highest quality golden brass which was sturdy and at the same time light in weight not to add extra burden to travel luggage, they were100% handmade with the trademark ring loop holders riveted on peepal leaf harness, held in conjunction with the thick circular ring made of golden bronze, the dome shaped lid serves as a plate to hold cut veggies and other mis-en-place, also serves as a kadai to fry that’s the reason for its shape, also it helps accommodate the Plates, the interiors were tin lined, Mostly the set Includes large basin, cooking adukku vessels, Vari adukku, siru alakku, thavalai Sombu, Tumblers (for Milk + coffee set + baby + demi tasse), davara, Plates, lids, sippal large, uruli pathiram, madurai kunda, The Rail Adukku was manufactured in sizes of small, medium, large and extra large whose contents ranged from total of 12 to 24 vessels with weight ranging from 8 to 14 Kilograms maximum. 

One of the most common question i encounter is "How the spoon stand was used in those days??" Its quiet easy to get this confusion due to two reasons

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One of the most common question i encounter is "How the spoon stand was used in those days??" Its quiet easy to get this confusion due to two reasons
1. We all are much accustomed seeing  spoon stand hung flat on walls, all homes have at least one, as it is the most popular decor wall accent or to the most it may be seen on coffee table serving as an underliner accent to the brass decor pieces
2. We all now live in high ceiling terrace homes so we never get a hint how they were used
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Now the truth
In those days all homes were tile roofed, which calls for wooden slanting beam supports which hang at an angle reachable by hand, there lies the secret, these spoon stands are hung using strong threads or metal wires from those roof support beams adjacent to the kitchen stove at a reachable height, all the spoons, ladles and churners are inserted from both sides of the spoon stand, which is a hygienic way to dry them and keep them clean from pests which hover around the kitchen..So when a spoon is needed the lady slides it out uses  it, a genius yet simpe solution to store spoons...
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Swipe to see the unusual square spoon stand
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How to clean Antique Brass, Bronze and Copper vessels..??!! .

How to clean Antique Brass, Bronze and Copper vessels..??!! 

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Brass, Copper and Bronze react to the atmospheric air & get tarnished due to oxidation, which is quiet common, but the level & speed of oxidation varies depending upon the climate, air quality and moisture prevailing in the area, Tarnishing happens in stages making the article acquire different shades of colour in course of time and makes the metal unidentifiable at one point which needs cleaning, Tarnish can be easily removed by using common ingredients available in our kitchen like tamarind or lemon.

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Method 1: Using Tamarind 

Step 1. Soak brass, copper & bronze articles in a tub of water to which a lemon ball size if tamarind is dissolved in (For 10 litres of water dissolve 1 large lemon size ball of tamarind) let the articles soak for 3 to 4 hours depending upon the stain build

Step 2. Wash it using normal scoring powder, the articles will shine like new

Step 3. Pat dry them using a cloth, since the residue water leaves marks if not wiped dry

Step 4. Sun dry for 4 hours which is the key in bringing out the shine) .

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Method 2 Using Lemon: 

Step 1. Soak brass, copper & bronze articles in a tub of water to which squeeze lemons (For 15 litres of water dissolve 5 large lemons) let the articles soak for 5 to 6 hours depending upon the stain build.,

Repeat Steps 2, 3 & 4 as before..

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Benefits of brass

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Benefits of Brass..!!!

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Brass is most commonly used house hold vessels for ages, even now one can see brass vessels being used in day to day lives in our villages, temples & small towns.

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It is due to the benefits one accrue using the brass vessels as they are 100% food safe, anti bacterial & anti allergic..

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Our elders always say, that in their days the food had more flavour, water was tasty, On further study it was found that the extra flavour was contributed by the brass vessels, Yes the brass infused  aroma & contibuted flavours to the food, Sadly which todays non reactive neutral cooking vessels made of steel & aluminium misses out, Infact the brass vessel is the invisible chef contributing that additional flavour to the cooked foods, It is now found out in scientific research that, Water stored & consumed from a brass vessel gives strength & immunity, In addition, it also helps pacify Pitta content which causes burning sensations inside our body, brass prevents abdominal infections, intestinal ailments to a great extent & improves the skin health., Along with the zinc present in the brass utensils keeps the mind awake & helps purify blood., Which our ancestors knew very well & that being the reason for using brass taps for drinking water pipes, when potable drinking water flowed through brass taps they acquired the benefits, while today water treatment method's removes the much needed minerals & contributes none, and also it was a fact that germs cant survive in brass medium (Which was the other main reason why door handles & locks handled by many were made of brass), .

Another example for brass infusing flavour to foods is the filter Coffee, when made in a traditional brass filter tastes out of the world, same applies to brass idly pots, brass puttu kudam, brass kadai, brass uruli, brass tumblers etc..

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In those days every home entrance had a giant brass gangal filled with water,  anyone visiting the home are asked to wash their hands & feet before entering, through this way the anti bacterial brass water acted as a germ cleanser, now they are gone & diseases entered homes..

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Antique brass secrets, buying guide - tips & tricks explained

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Antique brass - Secrets
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Cooking in brass vessels offer great health benefits, to accrue them one has to select the right vessel, or else would end up with food spoilage, food turning rancid, food poisoning & metal poisoning.
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As many buyers (& sellers) are unaware of the differences in the metallurgy of antique brass, The shocking truth is that all brass vessels sold are not food safe & not suitable for cooking..Lets get in to the details..
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Antique brass is classified in to 3 types based on their composition & quality -
1.Raja
2.Tama &
3.Sattva...
Raja Brass is not suitable for cooking or storing but used in decor accents, while Tama is suitable for many foods but forbidden for few, while the best is 'Satva brass'
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Back in those days they used different formulas for making different brass wares suitable for
1. Cooking foods
2. Cooking & Holding foods
3. Cook, Reheating & Serve foods
4. Dry food storers
5. Wet food storers
6. Non reactive storers
5. Decor & utility ware
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In passage of time the art is lost. Now all brass are sold as cookware
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(Recently i got shocked to see an online ad of an antique brass urination bed pan being listed as a Prasad pot😂 & another listing of a Kerala black magic brass bowl being listed as rare antique & in other listing a vessel exclusively meant for funeral ritual (To hold Ash of deceased listed as Pooja article)., This was the reason i forced myself to make this awarness post...
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Antique brass buying - Tips & Tricks explained
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While buying antique brass utmost care should be taken..
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1. Never buy polished antique brass vessels (Exception being Unused dowry collection) but nowadays i see mostly chemical polished, used brass being faked as unused dowry collection, which will invite diseases & not health, buy antiques in their original finish with patina, say no to polished ones, (polishing is mostly done to repair, hide defects in highly abused antique making them look new and shiny), brass is a metal which retains additives & takes long time to cleanse the chemicals & micro metal debris that stays in crevices of vessels during machine polishing, the vessel may look brand new but foods cooked in those are unpalatable loaded with toxins, in olden days when they buy new brass vessels they use to season it for 58 days with various herbal concoctions and then anoint them with castor oil to get rid of the metal toxins, but are we doing it now for these polished brass?.,
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2. How to select: Before buying antique brass ask the elders (The generation who actually used them in daily life), do a research (Google helps most of the time), get expert advice, check for colour, weight, resonance (Sound arising when metal is struck in a way the longer the sound higher the quality - Ask for a video), check make method (Best being - Moulded, hammered, embossed), sealing (Riviting, zig zag hammering, welding), tin coating., one can always tell out the quality of brass by combination of the above
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3. Buyer's should not blindly believe seller, but do check, ask history, origin, story & if all checks right then buy them, as many online sellers simply copy & paste the description from others so beware, as they have no idea what they sell 😉., just a few questions will reveal the truth

4. Buy regional antiques from the regional sellers who source them directly, for eg- if you want an Uruli, buy it from a seller from the state of origin - Kerala, if you want Red Sanders marapachi buy from Andhra seller, If you want Bhuta mask buy from a Karnataka seller - this way you can be sure you get to know the real use, history, origin, cultural significance & above all at the right price..

5. Trust your intuition- its a fact that "Antiques finds its owner & chooses its home" and it should not be like "I bought an antique", so never buy impulsively or yield to persuations by seller, it should happen spontaneous & you should feel the connect..

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Dasari's of South India

Castes and tribes of South India

Dasari's

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Dasari's are the mendicants of Vaishnava orientation they dont belong to a particular caste and the story how they end up as Dasari is quiet surprising...

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The family head, one being devoid of an offspring, vowes if he be blessed with children would devote one of his child to the service of his god. He subsequently gets many sons, one of whom he names 'Dasan' (Servant of God) dedicating him entirely to God. A Dasan is forfeited all claim to participate in his father's estate & subsequently his offspring are therefore all beggars. They usually wander about singing hymns playing a leather instrument called tappai.  All Dasaris are Vaishnavites & admission to the community is obtained by being branded (Mudra affixation) by a Vaishnavite guru. They live by begging from door to door, the profession is almost hereditary in some families. The five insignia of a Dasari are the conch shell, which he blows to announce his arrival; the gong which he strikes as he goes his rounds; the tall iron lamp which he keeps lighted as he begs; the brass or copper vessel affixed with Vaishnavite symbols, suspended from his shoulder, in which he receives alms; & the small metal image of Hanumān, which he hangs round his neck. Of these, the iron lamp is at once the most conspicuous and the most indispensable. It is said to represent Lord Venkateshvara. Dasaris also subsist by doing pooja's at ceremonial and festival occasions.

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Source: Excerpts taken from the "Castes and tribes of southern India" 

by Edgar Thurston, & K Rangachari

Publication date 1909 Publisher Madras : Government Press

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A typical south Indian home in the 50s Before the festival of lights Diwali

A typical south Indian home in the 50s Before the festival of lights Diwali; 

As the Madisar Clad Granny & Mom duo prepare Delicacies for Diwali over the traditional kumpty stove, the kids watch with awe waiting to savour the delicacies, whereas the unmarried young grandaughter watches the making learning the trade from granny, the new dresses bought for Diwali are laid on table & the head of the house combing his hair in the adjacent room set to go out, the sweet being made today in the iron kadai is Somaas with Kara sev and murukku for savoury..The prepared savouries are kept in brass vessels to help them aerate the heat thereby preventing development of moisture..