A small village named Vadakkampatti, in Thirumangalam taluk of Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district, hosts an unusual annual temple festival, This temple is not just famous for its religious aspect but also for its prasad. This temple serves Biriyani as prasad, And, it’s not just for devotees; anyone who walks into Vadakkampatti on January 25 this year will be treated to a hearty meal of mutton biryani.
This has been a tradition for 83 years.
The cynosure of the three-day festival is the humble Muniyandi Swami temple that stands in the middle of the village, where over 2,000 kilograms of rice and mutton are cooked in huge cauldrons overnight by tireless men. Almost everyone in Vadakkampatti is a biryani fan. This is where the popular restaurant chain of Madurai Sri Muniyandi Vilas has its roots. The name will ring a bell for anyone who lived in Tamil Nadu in the 70s and 80s. At a point of time, the chain is said to have had over 1,000 outlets across South India and was known for its range of spicy mutton dishes and, of course, the ubiquitous biryani.
