Indian food taboos

Indians do not have dietary taboos that are universal across the country and observed by the entire ethnic group. All the statements we often hear about "not eating beef" and "eating all vegetarians" only apply to groups of specific religions, castes, and regions. There are no dietary rules that apply to all Indians.

The most commonly heard saying "Indians don't eat beef" actually only applies to the mainstream group of Hindus who account for about 80% of the population. In the traditional understanding of Hinduism, the cow is the mount of Shiva and a symbol of motherhood and harvest. Therefore, most Hindus will actively avoid eating beef. However, this is definitely not the consensus of all members. Among the low-caste groups in the southern state of Kerala and the Hindu community in the northeast, eating beef is normal, not to mention the Muslim group, which accounts for about 14% of the population. Beef is one of the most common meats in their daily diet. I visited the Chandni Bazaar in Old Delhi last year. There was smoke coming from the barbecue stalls on the roadside, and the skewers were all marinated beef. The stall owner was wearing a white hat and shouting. Half of the customers around him were local Muslims, and half were tourists carrying bags. Two streets away was the bustling Shiva Temple. Each side passed by, and there was no conflict at all.

A stereotype that is more widespread than "don't eat beef" is that "most Indians are vegetarians." Really not, the data from India’s fifth National Family Health Survey in 2021 is here. More than 60% of India’s population is meat-eaters. The so-called “vegetarian-based” refers more to the eating habits of high castes and upper-class Hindu groups, and even the taboos of different vegetarian groups are very different. For example, some conservative Brahmin families will not even touch onions, ginger, and garlic, believing that these pungent foods will arouse people's desires and are not in line with the requirements of spiritual practice. ； Jains have even stricter taboos. Don’t tell me, when I had a dinner with local Jain clients in Gujarat for the first time, I stared at the table full of leafy vegetables and grains in shock for a long time. Why were there not even potatoes or sweet potatoes? After asking, I found out that they think digging out rhizomes will hurt the small bugs in the soil. Even eggplants and cucumbers with seeds are rarely eaten, for fear that the life in the seeds will be accidentally injured, so they are very particular about this.

Another common misunderstanding is that "Indians don't eat pork", which is completely untrue. The Naga and Mizo people in Northeastern states, as well as many groups who believe in Christianity, have pork as their home-cooked dish. I ate the local fried pork chops at a street shop in Siliguri the year before last. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was served with hand-made chutney. It tasted particularly good. Most of the people who came to buy it were local young people, and they had to queue up when the meal arrived. Only Muslims and some conservative Hindus avoid eating pork, but others don't.

Originally, these different groups followed their own dietary rules and lived in peace. However, with the changes in the social atmosphere in recent years, dietary taboos have gradually become a sensitive topic that cannot be touched. With the rise of Hindu nationalism, many provinces have introduced strict cattle bans, and there have even been cases of Muslims being violently attacked for transporting and selling beef. Supporters of the cattle ban believe that cattle are national sacred objects and that the ban on beef slaughter respects India’s traditional culture. ； Opponents feel that this is imposing the rules of a specific religion on all ethnic groups, which is essentially an infringement on the dietary freedom of ethnic minorities and lower caste groups. The two sides have been arguing for several years, and there is still no consensus.

I have traveled to more than 20 states in India over the years, and my biggest feeling is that people should not use uniform standards to guess Indian dietary taboos. I previously participated in a team building for a Chinese-funded company in Mumbai. The administrator asked everyone one by one about their dietary requirements a week in advance: Are there any vegetarians? Are Jains vegetarian? Do you want to eat chicken? Do you want to eat mutton? Do you want to eat beef? Do you want to eat pork? I listed six or seven items in total, and the restaurant I finally booked was also divided into sections. The vegetarian section and the meat section were separated. In the meat section, the beef and pork outlets were separated by a separate section, so as not to offend anyone accidentally. If you are traveling to India or on a business trip and you are not sure what the other party will eat, just ask them directly. It is much more reliable than guessing on your own.

To put it bluntly, the essence of food taboos in India is the epitome of the cultural diversity of this multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. There is no standard answer, and there are no unified rules that must be followed. If you ask more questions and respect local customs, you will basically avoid stepping on mistakes.