CGH Earth Introduces Diraviyam at Mantra Koodam to Celebrate Tamil Culinary Heritage

CGH Earth's Mantra Koodam has launched Diraviyam, a new dining experience centred on the culinary traditions of ancient Tamilagam. The initiative focuses on preserving regional Tamil Nadu cuisine by showcasing recipes, ingredients and cooking techniques from historic cultural regions, including Thondai Nadu, Nadu Nadu, Kongu Nadu and Pandya Nadu.

The launch builds on Mantra Koodam's existing culinary offerings, which have traditionally highlighted Chola Nadu cuisine through its signature restaurant, Annaprasanna. Diraviyam follows a farm-to-table approach, using vegetables, herbs and ingredients sourced from organic gardens. The menu has been designed to reflect traditional food practices from rural Tamil Nadu while promoting regional culinary heritage.

Radhakrishna Shenoi, Assistant Vice President, CGH Earth, said, "A defining aspect of Diraviyam is its deep connection with the local community. Three women from neighbouring villages have been recruited and professionally trained to preserve and present traditional regional recipes. Their knowledge, lived experiences, and personal stories lend an unparalleled authenticity to every meal, ensuring that culinary traditions are not merely recreated, but meaningfully sustained."

The culinary experience is rooted in traditional cooking methods, with dishes prepared on wood-fired stoves and cooked in earthenware pots. The restaurant's design incorporates thatched-roof architecture and rustic elements inspired by Tamil village settings.

Harish Venkatasubramaniam, General Manager, Mantra Koodam, said, "Remaining true to ancestral methods, dishes at Diraviyam are prepared over traditional wood-fired stoves and cooked in earthenware pots, techniques that not only enhance flavour and nutrition but also preserve the essence of regional Tamil cuisine passed down through generations."

Guests are served a vegetarian feast comprising 28 dishes, presented on banana leaves in keeping with traditional Tamil dining practices. With Diraviyam, CGH Earth is expanding its focus on cultural preservation, sustainable hospitality and community-led culinary experiences through regional Indian cuisine.