When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
Did you know that the Irulas – one of the six particularly vulnerable tribal groups of Tamil Nadu – also relish rat meat, which they cook fresh after catching the rodents from paddy fields.
The rats are often collected when farm owners in nearby villages hire them to get rid of pests from their fields. Rats steal paddy, ragi from fields and store them in underground tunnels.
One can get up to around 8 to 10 kilos of paddy in their burrows with enough digging.
It truly was a humbling experience to join them and share a meal with them. Truly grateful for the invite! :)