People of Tamil Nadu
Out of 74 million Tamil people in the world, around 62 million live in Tamil Nadu. Rest of the Tamilians are scattered in different parts of India and the world, mostly in the northeast of Sri Lanka. People who live in the state understand the ethnicity of their culture and how it marks their identity in the world. They are very adherent towards their rituals and traditions like following the caste system, religion and community traits, etc.
Tamil is the official language of the state. It is a derivative of Brahms script, and the letters represent sounds, much like the Mandarin language. Not only most of the people in Tamil Nadu speak Tamil, but it is also spoken by many in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Religion
A great amount of relevance is given to a person's religion when it comes to personal identity. Although four-fifths of the population of the state are Hindus, rest of them are divided in Islam, Christianity, and Jainism. Their rituals include deity worship and animism like tree worship, animal worship and stars and planets worship.
Traditional Dress
Men can be seen wearing a dhoti with a shirt and Angavastra. Dhoti is a rectangular cotton cloth tied across the waist, and Angavastra is a cloth draped around the shoulders. It can be worn over or without a shirt. Some people may also wear dhoti which is a long form of Lungi, the bottom of which is mostly stuck at the waist. Men also wear Vibhuti on their forehead.
Tamil Nadu women mainly wear Saree which is a five to six yards rectangular cloth made of cotton, silk or any other fabric. The prints, design and style depend on the fabric and community rituals. Kanchipuram Saree is often worn at the time of festivals. Young girls wear half-saree which includes a blouse, long skirt and a dupatta from the waist to the shoulders. Nowadays, salwar and even western wear are preferred.
you imagine 'South Indian Food', first things which pop in mind Idly, dosa, Sambhar, Vada, Upma and what not. It's a typical Madras Food for North Indians. Tamil Food is popular in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian contexts. Otherwise, rice, lentils, grains and vegetables from the main ingredients in Tamil Cuisine. Rice is a staple food here. Sambhar and Coconut Chutney are served with almost everything and guess what, it makes a fine blend with most of them. For non-vegetarians, fish, turtle, mutton and venison are preferred. Some Tamilians follow the tradition of eating on Banana Leaf even today.
Tamilian Music & Dance
Tamilian Dance, Bharatnatyam Source
Tamil Music has evolved over the years. The most important form of music was the Carnatic music which considered only for the elite who could understand the intricacy of music. For others, Telugu songs and a mix of traditional numbers from a source of entertainment.
Tamil Cuisine
Bharatnatyam is the official dance form of Tamil Nadu, recognized all over India and the world. It's a complicated dance form with subtle moves of body parts and expressions. Some other folk dances like Parai, Villuputtu Karakaatam, and Kuthu are also performed by local people including tribal people.
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