Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: The myth of vegetarian India - Hindustan Times
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Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: The myth of vegetarian India

Jun 03, 2022 07:30 PM IST

The majority of Indians have never been vegetarians and new figures show that the proportion of non-vegetarians is growing

There is often an element of sacrifice associated with vegetarianism. In the Christian world, people abstain from eating meat during Lent as a gesture of piety. It is their way of showing God how devoted they are to him. Of course, the devotion has its limits. In medieval Europe, it was considered okay to eat fish during Lent so, many of France’s many man-made lakes were created only so that fish could be bred to be consumed during Lent. And as the Church grew more corrupt, rich people could buy special dispensations from priests and monks that allowed them to roast a pig or slaughter a sheep during Lent.

There is often an element of sacrifice associated with vegetarianism
There is often an element of sacrifice associated with vegetarianism
India has never been a vegetarian country. Archaeological evidence suggests meat-eating was always part of the Hindu tradition
India has never been a vegetarian country. Archaeological evidence suggests meat-eating was always part of the Hindu tradition
There is one kind of Gujarati who is always a vegetarian: the Gujarati Jain. Jainism has complicated rules about what can be eaten
There is one kind of Gujarati who is always a vegetarian: the Gujarati Jain. Jainism has complicated rules about what can be eaten
The Willingdon Club calls its now famous egg-on-toast dish Eggs Kejriwal after a baniya gentleman who wasn’t allowed to eat eggs at home
The Willingdon Club calls its now famous egg-on-toast dish Eggs Kejriwal after a baniya gentleman who wasn’t allowed to eat eggs at home
There are festivals, like the Navratras, that require people to be vegetarian as a gesture of faith and respect
There are festivals, like the Navratras, that require people to be vegetarian as a gesture of faith and respect
In medieval Europe, it was considered okay to eat fish during Lent, so many French lakes were created only so that fish could be bred
In medieval Europe, it was considered okay to eat fish during Lent, so many French lakes were created only so that fish could be bred
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    Why hide the papers? Why keep the conspiracy theories related to Netaji Subhas Bose’s death alive? And why deny India the truth about the death of one of its great freedom fighters?

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