Casteism served Hot
India not just now, but has never been a vegetarian country. India is a nation with nonvegetarians as the majority. So if we go by the popular narrative, like Home Minister Shah saying Hindi should be the national language because the majority speaks it, then shouldn’t meat eating be the national dietary identity instead of the forced appeal of vegetarianism? Why is vegetarianism such a controversial topic?
The idea of Hinduism and vegetarianism is almost seen as synonymous. The global identity of India is that of a vegetarian nation. But is it true?
National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS 5 - 2019 - 2021) data suggest that just 29% of women, and 17% of men are vegetarians in India. A country that remains notorious for cow vigilantes and known for worshipping sacred cows, India is among the largest exporters of beef in the world. Speaking of sacred cows, it is to be remembered cows weren’t all sacred for Hindus.
History:
The habit of meat-eating is mentioned all over the Vedas. “I, for one, eat it, provided it is tender.", Yajnavalkya, the much-revered sage of Mithila had said and was also mentioned in DN Jha popular book “The Myth of The Holy Cow”. In Rig Veda (X. 86.14) Indra says: “They cook for one 15 plus twenty oxen”. The Rig Veda (X.91.14) says that for Agni were sacrificed horses, bulls, oxen, barren cows, and rams. From the Rig Veda (X.72.6) it appears that the cow was killed with a sword or axe.
Mentions of meat eating and animal sacrifice can even be found in Arthasashtra and is also part of Ayurveda. And this meat-eating particularly mentions the consumption of beef. Scholars agree that meat, especially beef, has not always been sacred. Cow slaughter and sacrifice, that too in large numbers, were very common during the Vedic era. “The Brahmins were therefore the greatest beef-eaters,” says BR Ambedkar, in Untouchability, the Dead Cow and the Brahmin.
There is now more than enough historical proof and scholarly works to prove that Indians have enjoyed meals cooked with meat and poultry since the time of the Indus Valley, including zebu cattle (humped cow), gaur (Indian bison), sheep, goat, turtle, gharial (a reptile like a crocodile), fish, fowl, and game.
But meat, and beef in particular, is seen as something impure, a pollution. Even deeming the utensil used to cook meat as something untouchable. How did we reach here? To answer this, we’ll first ask who are vegetarians in India.
According to BBC’s research, “Hindus, who make up 80% of the Indian population, are major meat-eaters. Even only a third of the privileged, upper-caste Indians are vegetarian.”
This means, vegetarianism, essentially is part of Jainism and Brahmins. The vegetarians-by-choice trend is a rather very modern invention and the understanding of vegetarianism between the West and India is very different. It is undeniable that caste plays a major role when it comes to food.
But how did meat-eating Brahmins turn into vegetarians? According to Dr.Ambedkar, this was a result of the struggle between Buddhism and Brahminism. Babasaheb says Buddha rejected the idea of Yajna and animal sacrifice, particularly in excess. Buddhism had gained so much momentum in this land that Brahminism lost its authority. Brahmins did not just stop animal sacrifice but turned completely vegetarian, aiming to gain a higher moral ground. He also sees the move of worshipping cows, giving up beef-eating, and turning vegetarians as a way to get rid of Buddhism from India.
It was not Muslims or Christians who brought beef-eating practices to India. If anything, there was a ban on beef slaughter during Akbar’s reign, and this practice was carried on by Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The Mughal Empire banned cow slaughter.
Meat is food for the majority. It was only a small number of people who abstained from eating flesh.
Why does this strong need to showcase India as a vegetarian nation exist? As a mix of so many eating habits and beliefs, India stands as an exceptionally unique mix of people. A nation that proudly boasts its diversity, seems to just can’t wait to identify itself as homogeneous, and that identity they are craving for, is vegetarianism. It is not bad since many climate activists do say that reducing the consumption of meat might affect the climate positively. But is this the reason for the politics around vegetarianism? The answer is an obvious no.
Everybody eats in hotels. No two tumbler system or separate entrances or seats for people from different castes exist anymore. But what does exist, is a “pure veg” board outside several hotels. There is veg, sure. But what is “pure veg”?
A dish untouched by any non-veg-related items, made by a vegetarian cook. This is to assure purity and hygiene. Why would this be bad though? The purity here is not about chemical adulteration like us switching to organic foods and stuff. The purity here is caste.
Meat is eaten by non-Brahmins mostly. And there are even Brahmin communities that do eat flesh, like Brahmins from Kashmir and West Bengal. But in general, a Brahmin identity is in vegetarianism. And meat is the diet of people who are not from the upper caste. And beef especially used to be the food of Dalits. So in India, discrimination comes in plates.
But one having an aversion to meat is fine, it's their choice and right. Why should anyone be offended by someone's choice? The problem lies in how meat is perceived - saying you are extra careful about even what utensils one uses, scared if it had touched meat despite hotels serving clean utensils shows how food, a dietary practice of non - Brahmins is looked down upon. This aversion is to certain types of food and people. It is necessary to remember and understand history. The argument of hygiene or cleanliness in the modern day to support pure veg stems from generations of practice by a caste.
Next time when you are dining with your friends do a quick thinking: would you look into your friend’s eyes and say “I won't touch your plate or use your spoon because it touched your food?” How would that make them feel when they wouldn’t do the same to you?
Additional:
People mention it is difficult for them to travel abroad being a vegetarian since meat is common - So they tend to carry their own food and utensils, and in some cases, cooker.
Is the avoidance of meat for hygiene reasons, or because of stench or smell? Cleaning works, hot water, and disinfectants are being used - but there’s something beyond just these reasons.
But happens only with food, not with musical instruments made of cow skin played in temples.
As it was mentioned early, vegetarianism was
Who finds this open push for vegetarianism problematic and why?
Agori’s hindus? They are known for eating human flesh.
The greater emphasis on Brahmin-only food habits - a sign of purity and restaurants catering only veg - a purity ideal
Reference:
https://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/indexp/Product_description_32headChart.aspx?gcode=0401
https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR375/FR375.pdf
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61020025
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-43581122
https://ia801305.us.archive.org/19/items/TheMythOfHolyCowJha/The_Myth_of_Holy_Cow_-Jha_text.pdf
Comments
Post a Comment