Kaveri Ponnapa

Independent Writer & Author

Food & Wine Heritage

The author of The Vanishing Kodavas, Kaveri Ponnapa is a force to reckon with. She travels, researches, writes from her well-appointed home in Bangalore and shares her knowledge on food, wine and the history of both

The Mistress of Kodagu

Interviewed by Farzana Contractor

Sense and sensibility is what we conjure when we think of Kaveri Ponnapa. Add to that intelligence, education, sound upbringing and you get the picture. Evolved thinking is Kaveri’s forte. And it applies to all areas of activities of this gently dynamic woman. Not surprising when you consider the rich tapestry that her life has been woven around.

 Growing up with strong Kodagu influences, with ancestors like the mighty Kodava, known to be farmers, hunters and warriors, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the most researched tomb of a book, The Vanishing Kodavas, a highly regarded, cultural study of the Kodava people, came from Kaveri Ponnapa. Much acclaimed, it deserves every bit of the accolade that came its way. The fact that Kaveri studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and graduated with distinction, with a master’s degree in Social Anthropology helped enormously with this endeavour as it does with all the food writing that Kaveri also assigns herself to. Her first writing stint, over three decades ago, was naturally about Kodava cuisine. She is a meticulous writer, one who gives enormous thought to detail and origin. “Yes,” she gives a short laugh, as she explains, “What I do try to bring to my writing is a combination of my background in Literature, which takes me towards the beauty of prose and Social Anthropology, which leads to deeper research, cultural context and exploring wider connections and significance.” Kaveri is a regular contributor to UpperCrust and over the years we have seen that she has a curious mind, that she engages in a lot of reading, follows up threads and puts it all altogether pretty profoundly, with integrity and sincerity. At a Slow Food conference in Shillong, a few years ago, she was among the most dedicated participants. Like a school girl attending every class, paying attention, asking questions! Her quest for research is boundless. Which is what gives her the status and authority to be a friend and guide to the many who land up in Bangalore seeking her help, assistance or guidance. Which she generously gives, unstintingly.

Just as passionate about writing, she is also about reading. Kaveri’s cookbook collection has attained legendary status. Her fairytale house in Whitehall in Bangalore has a bursting library, with shelves and almirahs and huge glass cases in all parts of the house, laden with cookery books. Wide-eyed she lets us in, “I bought my first cookbook while I was in school, with my pocket money. There was no looking back after that. My collection grew over the years and it is now simply out of control! Even though I keep promising myself not to buy another one I am tempted the moment a new title appears! Some are like works of art. You can learn about culture, politics, history and more from a cookbook.”

Well, Kaveri’s interest in cooking did begin when she bought Marguerite Patten’s Cookery In Colour and she began to teach herself to bake. Prior to that, cooking was a no-no. (Like she says, “I came into cooking, at a slant...”). With this book a whole new world opened up for her and she did not hesitate to experiment. Then, when she was married and moved to London with her hotshot husband, a multinational top boss, she dug into Kodava cooking. Her ma-in-law was her long distance mentor, sending her recipes via air mail and explaining nuances by booking ‘international three minute calls’. “Believe me, I was so carried away with my cooking that on one trip home I actually hand-carried my sakala, a huge copper steamer back to London, to steam puttu!” Cooking this cuisine was Kaveri’s way of sharing with her overseas friends, who she was and where she was from.

“It was in London that I suddenly realised how much the food of my growing-up years meant to me. I understood what a precious legacy it was,” says Kaveri in her soft-spoken, refined manner. As with all children Kaveri went through life at her maternal grandparents’ large coffee plantation and sprawling home in Madikeri with a pinch of salt. The kitchen was wood-fired with a mud hearth, there was an attic for storage and all the traditional grinding stones, butter churn, copper and terracotta vessels were lined up in place. There were cows, chickens and pigs around and she grew up with a daily dose of classic Kodava dishes like puttus, akki, ottis, pandi curry, crab curry, pickles, and fries, their distinct taste coming from the famous kachampuli, the dark, tart vinegar that every Kodava kitchen will have. The produce came from the kitchen garden right behind the house, the rice from their own paddy fields… says a nostalgic Kaveri, “I still can recall the visual treat; gooseberries, wild mushrooms, pumpkins, leafy greens piled up there. Though I wasn’t so interested in the cooking process, the ingredients were always a great stimulus for me. I was curious about them. How the gooseberries were being preserved in sugar or salt in ceramic baranis, how the bottles of bitter orange juice were put out in the sun. And yes, aromas always fascinated me, as did textures of the spice pastes.”

Kaveri Ponnapa has an exquisite collection of china, too. You will see a lot of it when you follow her on Instagram or check her blog, The Coorg Table. Her good taste was honed in by her paternal parents who lived in the Andaman Islands. They were known to be fabulous hosts and her grandfather who had a keen eye for china had quite a booty! Kaveri elaborates, “When they retired and came to live on their colonial coffee plantation home, we the grandchildren ate off the same lovely crockery, as adults now. The table settings were out of the ordinary. That made a great impression on me and I started collecting china when I lived in London and it became a passion. I enjoy creating memorable tablescapes, so it stretched to linen and cutlery, too. And glass and crystal because of a new found love, wine.”

It was in London that the Ponnapas interest in wine was triggered. And it will be most apt to bring in Mr Naresh Ponnapa at this stage. A husband, more supportive of his wife in every way, would be hard to find. It is he who is the connoisseur of wine and who sources what they will drink at home and offer to their guests. Kaveri is happy to second that, “Naresh is a gift from God. Not just culinary speaking! But yes he has great knowledge of fruits and vegetables and sources the best of produce and products for me. That’s a joy. My everyday luxury, a glass of good wine with my evening meal is also thanks to him. He did put his time in London to good use, learning from the local wine merchants who are great educators. Going beyond the culinary, Naresh has also been responsible for choosing many of the wonderful saris I wear!”

Yes, dear reader, Kaveri Ponnapa, like we told you at the start, is indeed a woman of many parts. And she finds no textile more beautiful than the handwoven sari. Her posts on Instagram show the depth of knowledge and passion she has, in addition to the stupendous personal collection that she possesses. She writes about the various weaves we can find across the length and breadth of India; little stories, anecdotes, a bit of history, culture, beliefs and tradition all woven together, like the rich tapestry that she unravels even as she speaks, writes…

Kaveri Ponnapa is a special human being.