Chennai: A Selvam, 19, says his favourite dish is curd rice. Lately, however, he says he enjoys eating lizards. Selvam, a native of Alagarkoil near Madurai, is currently a first-year student doing a diploma in civil engineering. Selvam said he wants to create a Guinness World Record

 “It was nauseating the first time, he says, recalling the first occasion he ate a lizard two years ago. Now, obviously, he enjoys it.

 

“It tastes like raw meat,” says Selvam.

 

It was while in school that one of his friends challenged Selvam to eat a lizard. To his friend’s horror, he caught a lizard, and ate it. Nothing happened to him. Then on, he started consuming lizards, though not frequently. “It was for fun,” he said.

 

These days he has started eating over 10 lizards a day, as he wants to create a record by consuming a large number of lizards.

 

“Last week during a college function he consumed two lizards. He was ready to eat more, but teachers stopped him saying enough is enough,” G Harikrishnan, one of his friends said.

 

 Harikrishnan, who is also Selvam’s roommate said that they live in a rented room and whenever Selvam spots a lizard on the wall he catches and eats it.

 

Selvam said he wants to create a Guinness World Record. “Even as I train, I’m trying to contact the authorities concerned,” he says.