Dosas originated in South India; their exact birthplace in that region is a matter of conjecture. In ancient times the millets were the staple food of South Indian region and not the paddy/rice. From ancient literature, scriptures and stone edicts it can be found that the rice originated from Ancient Tamilakam. The ancient Chola Nadu region is known to be the rice bowl. Most of the present day dishes like idli, dosai, appam, pittu/puttu are referenced in the ancient Tamil Sangam literature. Rice based dishes spread to rest of the South Indian region from Tamilakam. According to food historian K. T. Achaya, dosa (as "dosai") was already in use in the ancient Tamil country around the 1st century AD, as per references in the Sangam literature. According to historian P. Thankappan Nair, dosa originated in the Udupi town of present-day Karnataka.