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The Bhagavad Gita delineates 3 categories of food: Sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. A sattvic diet, characterised by moderation, promotes wellness and tranquillity, avoiding extremes of flavour. (Illustration: CR Sasikumar)
The 9 divine days of Navratri person conscionable ended erstwhile Hindus observe the 9 forms of the goddess Durga. Hinduism reveres the feminine facet of divinity, an property echoed adjacent successful the actions of Lord Rama, who worshipped the goddess nether a bilva tree, and chanted the Devi Suktam and different Vedic hymns earlier his conflict with Ravana. Millions of Hindus observe a accelerated during these 9 days, abstaining from tamasic nutrient specified arsenic non-vegetarian items, onion, garlic, and circumstantial pulses. To honour the sentiments of those who fast, definite BJP authorities governments imposed restrictions connected the merchantability of earthy nutrient and non-vegetarian nutrient successful areas adjacent temples, portion immoderate communities and organisations carried retired specified measures voluntarily. Notably, cooked non-vegetarian nutrient remains disposable successful restaurants during specified periods. But, these days, being delicate to the traditions of the Hindu colonisation evokes arguments astir idiosyncratic prime and curbing freedom.
Strangely, specified arguments are not made connected adust days, erstwhile the merchantability of intoxicant is banned connected Gandhi Jayanti, Republic Day, Independence Day and voting days. In Europe, non-Christians look mandatory holidays during Christmas and Easter, yet arguments of prime are seldom raised. These activists for prime and idiosyncratic liberty don’t remark connected the prohibition against opening immoderate benignant of eating spot during Ramzan successful Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Egypt and Pakistan. Even successful the UAE, wherever Bollywood stars observe galore movie awards and our cricket stars play their IPL matches, eating successful nationalist during those mega-events is not allowed during Ramzan fasting hours, and volition get you fined if spotted. My Sikh friends are allowed to transportation a definite size of kirpan connected flights, successful keeping with their spiritual practices.
India, affluent successful festivals and taste traditions, has been the cradle of vibrant, divers practices. Yet, successful the past decade, we spot a changeless effort to marginalise Hindu festivals and customs, making Hindus consciousness compelled to apologise for their traditions. Holi, erstwhile celebrated arsenic a vibrant festival of colours, is present criticised for perceived h2o wastage. The fireworks of Diwali are labelled arsenic pollutants, portion the aforesaid fireworks connected Christmas and aft sports victories spell unchallenged. Processions during Ram Navami, Ganpativisarjanand Hanuman Jayanti person to instrumentality detours to debar “sensitive areas”, an administrative euphemism for Muslim-dominated areas, and successful states similar West Bengal, galore times it needs a tribunal directive adjacent to decently observe a Hindu festival. Festivals similar Karva Chauth and Raksha Bandhan, which were erstwhile cherished, are present seen by immoderate arsenic regressive.
I inactive fondly retrieve my neighbours, a household from Kerala, from erstwhile I was increasing up successful Uttar Pradesh. Mrs Nair and her household stopped cooking food for months unneurotic connected noticing the slightest discomfort my parent had with the beardown odor of the dried fish. Her lad and I taped the gaps successful their room model to alteration them to navigator what they liked. Footballer Sunil Chhetri ever recounts the inspiring communicative of however his full household started eating the aforesaid salads and boiled nutrient recommended by his dietician to debar immoderate temptation for him for spicier, tastier food. Bharat is simply a onshore of sacrifices. These examples of sacrifices that you marque for your loved ones, your friends and chap countrymen represent the precise cloth of Bharat.
For crores of Hindus, nutrient transcends specified nutrition. The Bhagavad Gita delineates 3 categories of food: Sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. A sattvic diet, characterised by moderation, promotes wellness and tranquillity, avoiding extremes of flavour. In contrast, rajasic foods, which are affluent and stimulating, tin pb to hyperactivity and irritability erstwhile consumed successful excess. All foods produced by harming surviving beings specified arsenic nutrient and food are rajasic oregon tamasic successful nature, and are frankincense discouraged. Further, adjacent sattvic food, if prepared successful a toxic environment, becomes tamasic and should beryllium avoided. Notably, 8 beatified cities successful India — Rishikesh, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Vrindavan, Pushkar, Mount Abu, Gandhinagar and Palitana — person established year-round bans connected non-vegetarian food, reflecting deep-rooted taste sentiments astir nutrient successful Hindu communities.
I powerfully consciousness that if those who devour non-vegetarian nutrient respect the feelings of their Hindu brothers and sisters during the 9 days of Navratri, it volition lone heighten our camaraderie arsenic citizens of this large nation. Let the work of carrying guardant the bequest of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb autumn arsenic connected everybody’s shoulder.
The writer is the biographer of UP CM, Yogi Adityanath
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