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vrnalini@gmail.com

Testimonials

The Famous Culinary Expert:
 I off and on browse web sites re: South Indian cooking. I find your name quoted by many bloggers and all praises in reviews for your new and old books, 'Samayal' and 'Festivals'.
Congratulations ! In fact your 'Samayal' book was so highly liked by my brother's wife and she took it away when she was here last year. Some of the mouth watering festival dishes, I do miss. Especially, the ‘Modaka Kozhakkattais’ for ‘Vinayaka Chathurthi’: both the sweet coconut and ‘Ulundhu’  types. If it is not very laborious, I want to try them.
Bhaskaran
By email: gbkaran@att.net  - Hayward, CA. Dated - 21st September 2006

A third book on yoghurt recipes?  Fascinating! And timely too! I presume aviyal, kaalaan, more kuzhambu, thair pachadi, thakkali pachadi, etc will all be there.  Of course, Viji, I'd love a complimentary copy, preferably with your handwritten note to me so I can display it with pride to all the guests that visit me.
Would you believe I told my sisters about your books and our correspondence? One of them, in Bombay, actually went to a local bookstore, sought out your Samayal and Festival Samayal and purchased copies of both. She likes to cook and says some recipes in the books are well known to her but several were new to her.
Hope all's well at your end, Viji.
Satish Kotagiri
By email: Simpatico kotagiri63@yahoo.com  San Francisco, CA. Dated - 29th September 2006

Hi ,
This is Meena from Doha - Qatar. I had purchased ‘Samayal-The pleasures of south Indian Vegetarian Cooking’ from Gangarams - Bangalore 6 months ago. Its a very excellent book ....I have tried almost all the dishes from it and it turns out good...could you please let me know if there are any other books that you have written, I would be glad to purchase it. And do let me know where it would be available in Doha.
Thanks a lot, I really enjoy cooking just because of 'U'
Regards, Meena
By email: "meena iyer" meenugk@gmail.com  – Doha, Qatar. Dated - 11th October 2006

Dear Madam,
I came across this book in the UK at my nephew's place. I like to cook South Indian Vegetarian food and will find this book a great boon to try out some recipes. I reside in Kolkata. Is it possible to buy this book in Kolkata or in Chennai? If it is available in the US, I can ask my children to procure it.
Please confirm availability and the stores. Thank you.
Yours truly, G. Gopal
By email: kolkatababu@gmail.com – London, UK. Dated - 17th October 2006

Hi,
 Thank you for your prompt response and also your suggestion about the outlets where I could procure your wonderful books. I am already drooling at the prospect of experimenting some of the recipes. I am sure my two children now residents of the US who are "Cooking freaks" to describe mildly may be your potential customers at some point.

Please accept my felicitations for your publishing 3 books - all about a "niche" segment i.e. - "South Indian Vegetarian Cooking" which you very rightly admit is poorly represented and presented.  I am in agreement with you on this observation. I wish you great success in your ventures.
Regards, Gopal Iyer
By email: kolkatababu@gmail.com - London, UK. Dated - 18th October 2006

Hello Viji,
I did make the peanut ‘chundal’ which was a smashing hit.. My friends were
surprised that I had made something so traditional and which is sooo unlike
me!!
Good to surprise your friends every now and then, right?
Cheers Vasu
By email: vasub@kis.in – Kodaikanal, TN. Dated - 19th February 2007

Hari Om,
 Namaskaram,
I just picked up a copy of your book Festival Samayal in the Coimbatore airport. It is indeed a very well brought out book. I like that you wrote a note about the festivals and about the Oil Bath etc. The book is wonderful!
By email: vijayalakshmi.vijayakumar@gmail.com – Bangalore, Karnataka. Dated: 16th June 2007

Dear Ms Viji Varadarajan,
I picked up your books: Vegetarial Samayal of South India and Festival Samayal - An Offering To The Gods on my recent trip to India. Actually, I must say I was very lucky to have come across your books at one Chennai Higginbothams shop at which we made a very brief stop just before our flight home to Kuala Lumpur. My husband is the one who spotted your 2nd book (an autographed one at that!) and I searched for other titles by you and found your first book. I am so glad I bought both. I love the various sections: the tips and suggested menu plans, but mostly "A Quick Reference Guide" which is both unique and extremely useful. I will be trying out the recipes which you have laid out in simple and uncomplicated fashion. The overall design and pictures are very attractive.  I also like how you give confidence to your reader to try home cooking, as I am a very late starter as far as the kitchen is concerned, and filled with much insecurity insofar as trying out new dishes. Your words are very reassuring and comforting. However, may I ask if I could communicate with you on any doubts concerning the recipes in your book or Tamil vegetarian cooking please?
Looking forward to your reply, Jeya Padmanathan
By email: ysjp@streamyx.com - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dated - 30th August 2007

We had Miz Shoes and the RLA over this evening to playtest a game MJ and I (in one of our rare joint efforts) are working on as a belated wedding gift for a couple who - in truth, we really don't know that well. Why are we doing it? The bride is of Indian descent, and she and her husband had a slam-bang, all-out Hindu wedding last year. We were fortunate enough to have been invited, and the experience was too incredible for words.
http://flamingomusings.blogspot.com/2008/05/sambars-curries.html