tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303170759454291361.post5994783095419271906..comments2024-02-07T15:24:37.399+11:00Comments on Old writer on the block: My Visiting Scientist talkPeter Macinnishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09723936464781499179noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303170759454291361.post-13042473998594652642017-06-05T08:26:57.533+10:002017-06-05T08:26:57.533+10:00I have a fairly strict policy on comments, that th...I have a fairly strict policy on comments, that they should be relevant to the blog entry, which this is not, but it is far too fascinating to discard, so it stands. I will be Sri Lanka shortly, but only in the southern half, and the subcontinent remains on my bucket list. Rest assured, it WILL be followed up. many thanks!Peter Macinnishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09723936464781499179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4303170759454291361.post-83768112756112584722017-06-05T00:35:26.481+10:002017-06-05T00:35:26.481+10:00This is a comment about your book bittersweet. I j...This is a comment about your book bittersweet. I just started reading it. I would like to share one piece of information regarding the origin of sugar. As you mentioned sugar cane originated in New Guinea and came to India. First mention of sugar is in India. The missing information is mentioned in one of the pre-buddhist Tamil literature. <br />An old poetess belonging to pre buddhist era in tamilnadu named, Avvaiyar, prevented a war between two kings of then period. One of the kings name is Adhiyaman Nedumaan Anji. On his behalf she went to the other king as mediator to prevent war. The reason for the mission is a war will destroy the newly planted cane grass that was brought from a faraway land across sea.<br />Why I am saying it is pre-buddhist is, there is no mention about buddha in her poems or literature from this era.<br /><br />Tamils and Bengalis were much more closer in trade relation with Java region than the other indian kingdoms. However there is no mention about sugar crystals in these literature. If Indonesians or Javans made the first sugar, it would have reached the shores of Tamilnadu first before the northern India. The possibility is sugarcane spread to north india from tamilnadu. But refined sugar might have been first made in north India. <br />I think this is of little value to the book now after all these years, but just thought of sharing it.World well wisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682797948837773767noreply@blogger.com