Maayaa Launches a Culinary Campaign Celebrating South India’s Patriots

Serving Stories of Courage— Maayaa Launches a Culinary Campaign Celebrating South India’s Patriots

Bengaluru, 12 August 2025: Maayaa, culinary exotica from South India, a restaurant renowned for celebrating heritage through cuisine, is commemorating Independence Day with a tribute deeply rooted in our culinary heritage. A limited-edition Thali will be available from August 10 to 15. Each dish in this thoughtfully curated thali draws inspiration from the foods once consumed by South India’s valiant freedom fighters, linking plate to patriotism in a way never seen before.

The meal is accompanied by a banana leaf-shaped placemat, featuring the illustrated portrait of a freedom fighter, their region of resistance, a two-line legacy note, and a brief story of the dish they inspired. A surprise item in each thali deepens the immersive experience.

“At Maayaa, we believe every ingredient has a story — and some are woven with the courage of our heroes. This thali is our way of honouring South India’s freedom fighters by bringing their food to the forefront. Their meals reflected their grit, their geography, and their spirit. With this tribute, we hope to keep their legacy alive by serving dishes that carry the warmth of their stories, said, Uzma Irfan, Founder, Maayaa.

Some dishes featured in the thali include:

· Ragi Mudde with Avarekalu Saaru

Inspired by Kittur Rani Chennamma (Karnataka, 1824), a staple among grassroots revolutionaries in Karnataka, this nourishing millet-ball and field bean broth was a hearty, farm-sourced meal that sustained them during underground resistance.

· Akki Roti with Coconut Chutney

Inspired by Sangolli Rayanna (Karnataka, 1831), this humble rice bread was made with love in rural kitchens and sustained many guerrilla fighters in the forests of Mysore and Coorg. Easy to carry, easy to cook, and packed with local flavour.

· Vazhaipoo Vadai

Inspired by Velu Nachiyar (Tamil Nadu, 1780), a crisp banana flower fritter deeply rooted in Tamil households. Known for its medicinal qualities, this dish was eaten by rebel families in the Madurai region as a symbol of self-reliance.

· Kanji Rice with Thogayal

Inspired by K. Kelappan (Kerala, Salt Satyagraha, 1930), a humble rice gruel that sustained thousands during protests, Kanji was closely linked to K. Kelappan’s satyagraha days, simple, sattvic, and symbolic of Gandhian ideals.