For Keralites, especially traders, Muziris is not just a name, it’s a 5000 years old history. Muziris was a port city, among the earliest of its kind in the world. The story of Muziris starts from early 3000 BC when Babylonians, Assyrians and Egyptians came to Malabar coast in search of the spices. Later the Arabs and Phoenicians also joined hand. Gradually, Muziris entered into the cartography of the World Trade map. When Kerala established itself as a major centre for spice, it was the ancient port of Muziris that emerged as its hub. The important known commodities exported from Muziris were spices, semi-precious stones, pearls, ivory, tea etc. Sangam literature, describe Roman ships coming to Muziris laden with gold to be exchanged for Pepper. It was considered as the golden days of trading. However, tragedy struck in 1341, when the profile of water bodies in the Periyar river basin on the Malabar coast underwent a major transformation and Muziris dropped off the map due to flood and earthquake. The remnants of the port and the erstwhile glory still remain as reminders of an eventful past. This legacy is the secret behind the trust people shows on Muziris traders.
Muziris was known as the spice city. Kerala is famous for the exotic range of spices and tea production. Spices such as Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Dried ginger, Pepper, Turmeric etc are cultivated in plenty. Pepper is considered as the King of Spices and Cardamom, the Queen. Spices are mainly used as condiments that are used to flavour the food. In the culinary arts, the word spice refers to any dried part of a plant other than the leaves, used for seasoning and flavouring a recipe, but not used as the main ingredient. It is also used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Spices play a significant role in the way we cook. Every spice has its own flavouring and essence, and its addition or omission can literally make or break a dish. Spices are also known to have several health benefits, in fact, it’s the addition of a bouquet of spices that make traditional Indian home-cooked food one of the delicious and healthiest meals eaten around the world.
Cardamom, the queen of spices is a rich source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, calcium, iron and Zinc. It promotes heart health, helps in digestion, enhances oral health etc. Likewise, Black pepper, the king of spices, when added to any recipe enhances the flavour main field. It promotes weight loss, helps relieve cold and cough, boosts metabolism and treats many skin problems. Each and every spice is known for its flavouring and also for health benefits.
Have you ever thought deeply about tea when you have it daily? Let’s dig out the history and facts about tea. Tea is an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. After water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD, in a medicinal text written by Hua Tuo. It was popularized as a recreational drink during Chinese Tang dynasty.,and tea drinking spread to other East Asian countries. During the 17th-century drinking tea became fashionable among the English, who started to plant tea on a large scale in India.
Kerala, abundant with natural beauty and scenic locations is also home to many tea plantations. The climate and soil of the Western Ghats are perfect locations for tea cultivation. Munnar, Wayanad and Wagamon are the main tea production places in Kerala. Situated in Kerala’s Idukki district, Munnar is famous for its tea plantations. It is a beautiful hill station located on the flat of Kannan Devan hills at 1600m above the sea level. Sir John Daniel Munro- a British resident of the Travancore Kingdom in the 1870’s, leased out Kannan Devan hills from Kerala Varma Raja, who owned the land. He discovered that tea plantation is best suited for the area. In 1880, A.H. Sharp planted tea in around 50 acres of land and the rest is history. There are many tea estates in and around Munnar. Pallivasal Tea estate, Anayirankal Tea Estate, Lockhart Estate, Kolukkumalai Tea Estate etc. A number of varieties of tea are available in the market like Tealeaf, powder tea, flavoured tea, green tea etc. The uncountable varieties of tea in our store come directly from the tea plantations of Munnar.
The next delicacy to be introduced is the Marayoor Jaggery. Marayoor is a place in the Idukki district of Kerala. Aside from its natural sandal forests and innumerable location of scenic beauty, Marayoor is best known for its extensive sugarcane cultivation, the major crop of Marayoor and Kanthalkoor. Here more than 2500 acres of land is under sugarcane cultivation. A product of such cultivation is the world-famous delicacy called Marayoor jaggery. The peculiar geographical location of Marayoor, which nestles amid the forest of the Western Ghats gives the sugarcane a distinct geographical identity. Added to this, the age-old specialised skill of the local farmers in making the jaggery in the farm itself, make it a unique product. Therefore, it’s of great demand across the country for the preparation of sweet dishes. It has finally received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Central Government. It is made using only traditional methods and is prepared in sheds located on the sugarcane farm. It is high in sweetness and Iron, with less sodium content and insoluble impurities. We collect the Marayoor jaggery directly from the sugarcane farmers of Marayoor in order to ensure genuinely and quality of the product.
Now let’s discuss something sweet and healthy- Honey. Since ancient times, honey has been used as both food and medicine. Honey is a sweet, thick liquid made by honey bees, which is collected from sugar-rich nectar of flowers. Once inside the beehive, they repeatedly consume, digest and regurgitate the nectar. The end product is honey, a liquid that serves as stored food for bees. The smell, colour and taste depend on the type of flowers visited. Nutritionally, 1 tablespoon of honey contains 64 calorie and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose. Honey is rich in antioxidants which reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer and increases the metabolism, lowers the blood pressure, raises the HDL cholesterol, lowers Triglycerides etc, The health benefits of continues. We have an exclusive stock of wild and pure honey from the forests of Kanthalloor, Wayanad and also from the bee farms of Munnar.
Muziris was India’s little known historical gem. It was famous for the strong trade link the people forged with the Romans, the Arabs and the Persians for over two and a half millennia which continue to this day with the Keralites contributing more to our foreign exchange services through their remittances than any other sector of the economy. We, Muziris Traders, follow the Legacy of the old Muziris. Tea, spices, curry powders etc have become the part and parcel of our daily cuisine. Adultery in these products is increasing day by day resulting in major health issues. In order to assure the quality and genuineness of the products, we collect it directly from the organic farmer of Idukki, Munnar and al from the forests of Kanthalloor and Wayanad. This helps us to stand out in this competitive field of spices and condiments trading. Our products are 100% organic, homemade and flavour locked which meets the export quality. We are in cloud nine, as we have a number of happy and satisfied customers. We, Muziris Traders, are trying to recreate the legend of old Muziris through honesty and genuineness in trading by providing high quality, organic and healthy products to the whole world.
