Rons Bantwal

Bantwal, March 11: In an era dominated by gas stoves, solar ovens, and electric cookers, Pradeep S Kumar Kalkura, former president of the Dakshina Kannada Kannada Sahitya Parishat, is bringing back the traditional clay oven, or souda ole, at his Kalkura home.

With disruptions in gas supply caused by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Kalkura cites the proverb, “It is better to prepare before the fire arrives,” and emphasises the practicality of using locally available fuel to cook in the ancestral clay oven.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Kalkura has maintained the practice of serving meals on banana leaves grown in his home garden, a tradition he has continued over the years. Now, he is setting up a new clay oven along with a traditional stove on a brick platform inside his house.

Kalkura’s initiative aims to revive the age-old practice of cooking rice, sambar, and vegetables in a clay oven and serving them on homegrown banana leaves, blending sustainability with cultural heritage. He hopes this will inspire others to embrace traditional cooking methods once again.