ADUPPU (OVEN)

Dear friends

This is a posting about the different types of "aduppu" or ovens we were using in the recent past and gradual
developments. There were two or three mails  to me to write about past "ovens ".

What prompted me to write now; in the last posting about Question Paper I had mentioned about one Mr. Koshi our
chemistry teacher.

He first demonstrated the electric stove to we students in the lab when I was in 8th standard (1957). It was the first
time I saw an electric stove. It was not available in shops at that time. Though Mr Koshi was called Chemistry teacher,
he used to teach occasionally Physics also. Probably he would have taken Chemistry as Main subject and Physics as
ancillary.

He showed us the burning electric stove above the size of a good papad and kept cool water and showed how it started
boiling after about three minutes. Still I recollect that stove brown in colour and heating coil about 11/2  " below the
top vessel keeping frame and cotton braided power cable with plug. When I thought about Mr Koshi, it came to my mind to
write about ovens.

Let me go in to my nostagia about ovens. I may be using aduppu and stove also as required instead of ovens in this
posting as found more appropriate. I have referred LIFO dictionary. They have given oven for "aduppu".

Sincerely
Gopala krishnan 24-9-2010

1.RUKMINI ADUPPU

The Kitchen aduppu of  my memory days was having a  main aduppu, which had an extension  aduppu to left.  This was
called KODI ADUPPU. We could push a little bit of burning fire wood to it. The kodi aduppu was operated if necessary for
frying , preparing curries, etc. main aduppu was used for cooking rice.  Normally we use to have two aduppu of this type
at floor level. This was the case when I had my grand mother.

A small amount of kerosene was either poured on the firewood or on a small piece of cloth kept on firewood and fire was
prepared using matchbox.

The fire wood was calculated for a day and used. So no balance was there. If additional fire wood necessitated smaller
size fire wood pieces were used.

The aduppu was made mainly with mud and where vessels had to kept had brick for strength. There was total coating with
good brown mud and above that a final coating with COW DUNG. Periodical cow dung coating used to be given. If we go by
the side of aduppu, cow dung smell used to be there.
The fire wood is the dried branch of trees cut in to pieces by "Kotali"(axe). These pieces used to be about 2 feet
length and 3-4" width. While the fire wood burn  will give rise to two things- one ash. It was used for cleaning vessels
and any surplus a manure to plants.  2nd charcoal. It was used for kanal aduppu, which had many uses. Tamarind tree had
excellent use for fire wood and liked by many for good heat.

{ Recently when the technician replaced the charcoal in the aqua guard filter with new one, he asked me to place the old
one under some garden plant. What a wonder, in another two days it started more growth. We could see it from 4-5 new
leaves appearing every day from the garden plant}.

Later when I was about 10, concrete was coming to vogue, we had a raised plat form to the height of about 2.5' and the
aduppu was  fixed on the raised  plat form taking care for about 3" thick mud was placed  before making aduppu. This was
by casting a slab with iron roads and  concrete. Masons started making aduppu with bricks and it had a better
appearance. The cement plastering of the aduppu was good. It was called cement aduppu some times. While the plat form
was made there was provision about 3'x 2' for keeping cooking vessels, cooked items etc. Slowly cow dung smell went out
of kitchen.

In the mean time aduppu ready made started coming in major cities like Kottayam, Quilon, Trivandrum, Palghat etc.
Probably they were coming from Tamilnadu. It was called RUKMINI ADUPPU.

We Brahmins had much fancy to it. With all difficulties of transportation with government buses, carrying on shoulder,
some how one day "Rukmini" came to our house. There was another Rukmini whose happiness could not be told by me- my
mother.

2. Viraku veno viraku( Want fire wood?)

On those days fire wood was not a problem. Some persons were on the job. They will locate old dried fire wood trees, cut
it, and keep it in their  reserve market. Every day they will get an approximate quantity for sale. It will be bundled
10-12 pieces . For five  rupees on those days  we could get 10 Bundles – sufficient for a month. When sunshine is they
were dried . Cutting to smaller pieces we had to pay extra. They were kept in the covered back side on a thattu raised
about 1' from ground level. Some old  lengthy planks placed on  bricks  constituted the thattu.

3. Pukayodu and Chimney

Above the aduppu tiles used to be of special type called Pukayodu. This will let out smoke, permit fresh air. There will
about 5-7 pukayodu above aduppu in the roof here and there. These pukayodu we can see in temples above Thidapalli now a
day some times. Tiles were made at Quilon, Kozhikkode, Mangalore etc and come by lorry on those days.
Gradually what is called chimney was made above the aduppu. Even in tiled houses  above the kitchen chimney  was made.

Chimney is an exhaust arrangement. It used to be rectangular of about 3'x5' , go to a height of about 8 feet above the
kitchen plat form in brick.( Was it a pollution reduction)

On the top air hole provision made. A slab was placed over it. Some times water tank later was made over it.  Bottom of
the kitchen plat form started to store dried fire wood. On those days no insect fear was there  by keeping fire wood. It
was handy. Chimney reduced kitchen smoke much more. It was a pleasure for women to work under new condition.

I completed construction of my house in native in 1984. There was standard chimney over kitchen platform. By the time
the fire wood ovens had almost disappeared… Gas stoves have come. The plat form was raised to keep gas cylinder well 
below measuring gas cylinder height. The extended plat form had two  new addition- sink to keep the vessels used for
cooking pending washing. Washing could be done in sink. Sink got the name so because, it has a depth of about  9" below
plat form level. The plat form gave its appearance with mosaic chip finishing. Another , a place to keep the cooked
items about 3'x2' space.

4. "Enna, Agnikonda…" ( Bring fire)

While performing sraadha, we had to bring Agni from the aduppu for homam. The Agni has to be from the aduppu, where
cooking for sraadha is under way.

Our Kochumadathil periappa will raise the voice and say.. " Enna agni konda" . He had the command over every body. He
was called by most as Kochumadathil anna.

We discuss today respect to  Vadhyar, Kochumadathil periappa was the  most respected person at Pandalam- a semi vadhyar.
The man who normally used to wear a thorthu( Towel) and even below middle class!!!

If my mother has not brought immediately  my father will say- "kettillayo, eluppam konda" ( Have you not heard, bring
immediately) . While my father used to be very much calm and composed, on sraadha day he  wanted every thing in time.

4.1 Homagni

As Agni is to be served in time good fried fire wood will be lit. Even before sraadha start some kanal ( Burning
charcoal ) will be ready by my mother. It has to be taken in from the aduppu( Three or four pieces ) and brought in a
venakalappai.

(Later with gas stove this practice has changed to bringing  a small camphor block lit. A modification approved and
agreed  by us. However chattukam is still in vogue. }

5. Fire wood shop

Gradually the man bringing fire wood on head load started diminishing.  In its place  fire wood shop started appearing.
There will three or four workers always on job in the shop making fire wood. Though in Kerala cities it is still in
vogue, in villages they had no business or limitation in getting fire wood'.

Cities some how bring from near by states or have arrangements in rural areas  saw mills started selling fire wood
later. While in Trivandrum for my father's sraadha I used to get slah from a firewood shop at karamana.

6. Charcoal and Neyveli Lignite

With coming up of Lignite Corporation , Neyveli lignite started available. There were charcoal merchants.  It gave good
heat. Charcoal from local wood was not so good in producing heat. There was a delay in preparing with  charcoal aduppu.
However , it was more convenient to keep charcoal in a chakku and use. One bag of charcoal was sufficient for a small
family.

My father was along with me while I was in Tutucorin and Naagerkovil. He used to keep ready the charcoal lamp by the
time my wife is ready to prepare coffee. She had to simply keep the coffee vessel.  While I was in Nagerkovil, in 1979 
I got the indane gas supply with a single cylinder applied about 3 years back…

6.1 Irumpu aduppu( Kari aduppu)

The charcoal lamps were made of iron sheet and called irumpu aduppu. This used a cylindrical container with a fitting 
having split holes in about the middle . Charcoal will be placed over this fitting . Over the cylindrical top there will
be clamps to hold the vessels.  Below the fitting in the cylindrical portion in one side 2"x2" circular cutting was
there and again a bottom plate
While burning charcoal, ashes will fall down through the slits. Fresh air will get in through the circular cutting. We
could blow fresh air using  mouth in to the circular cutting  so that charcoal will start glow and give better heat.
This aduppu was called Kari aduppu or kanal aduppu.  In urgency for ironing it was a practice to take kanal for metal
iron box from the irumpu aduppu.

Since I was in Tamilnadu, a god version of kari aduppu called "Kummatti" was available. It was very good.

7.Rise and fall of Podi aduppu( Aduppu using saw  dust)

All the while saw dust was used for water filtering or simply for making ash. It was thought it can be used for
cooking.  Podi aduppu started appearing . It had to be filled in the aduppu, with a centre cylindrical hole about
11/2" . In the bottom too another hole to add small chips and fresh air of the same size. Two cylindrical woods of  the 
size were kept at bottom and in centre while filling and pressing saw dust. A lot of pressure had to be given after
adding a small spray of water to saw dust to compress while filling. The removal of centre cylinder had to be done
slowly. Normally two or three podi aduppu  will be ready at all time. The advantage was being saw dust, cooking was
quick. More number of aduppu was necessary. Immediate refilling was not possible.

Cart people used to bring in hand carts in big chakku saw dust. It was less priced.

The problem was in case of necessity, we had to go and bring in head load. Many people were not expert in filling. Saw
dust found not available to the demand. There was a fall of the use. Still iron merchants are having such aduppu, and
such aduppu is used not to waste saw dust.

Let me continue in next posting..