What is "avial"

Avial (; , pronounced ) is a dish which is believed to have been originated from South India and is common in Tamil cuisine, Kerala, and Udupi cuisine. It is a thick mixture of vegetables and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Avial is considered an essential part of the Sadya, the Keralite vegetarian feast.

Avial are an Indian alternative rock band formed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India in 2003, and known for their Malayalam lyrics. The band initially included lead vocalist Anandraj Benjamin Paul, turntablist and backing vocalist Tony John, guitarist Rex Vijayan, bassist Naresh Kamath and drummer Mithun Puthanveetil. Avial had their first breakthrough with the 2003 single "Nada Nada". They are known for pioneering what they call "Alternative Malayali rock", which is the style of combining Malayalam lyrics and rock music. Their eponymous album got them six out of seven Jack Daniels Rock Awards and Footprints Young Achiever's Award in 2008. The band was praised for achieving mainstream success despite singing in their native language.

After Paul and Kamath's departure in 2008, John took over the vocals. Later Binny Isaac joined in as bassist and Neha Nair as backing vocalist. Their debut album covers social issues, consisting of folk songs and poems. In 2009, they collaborated with the Italian band A67 for the song "Chi Me Sape" ("Who Knows Me Knows It"). They composed the singles "Aana Kallan" and "Chillane" for the Malayalam films Salt N' Pepper (2011) and 22 Female Kottayam (2012).