Ambur biryani fest deferred amid beef row; rain too plays spoilsport

The “Ambur Biryani Thiruvizha 2022” aiming for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the popular delicacy from Ambur , located about 186 km from Chennai, literally ran into rough weather on Thursday with the district administration postponing it citing forecast of rains, amid a row over the non-inclusion of beef as part of the festival.

The Tirupathur district administration on Thursday announced to defer the three-day fest owing to the rains.

Ambur is also famous for leather industries providing jobs to several thousands of people. But it is the biryani dished out from this region that is more popular in Tamil Nadu due to its taste. Over 20 varieties of biryani were to have been showcased during the festival organised by the district administration from May 13 – 15.

Announcing the festival has been postponed, Collector Amar Kushwaha said the IMD, Chennai, has forecast thunderstorm with likelihood of heavy rain in Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Tirupathur districts on May 13 and 14. “As a result, the event will not attract the participation of the public. Hence, the Ambur Biryani Thiruvizha 2022 is postponed,” the official Twitter handle of the district administration said, quoting him.

The event stoked a controversy after certain organisations including a political party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), earlier, petitioned the administration to lift the ban on beef pork biryani at the festival. Some even offered free beef pork biryani to the visitors to the festival in Ambur.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)