The politics of diet: Did gods eat meat? Myths, history and contemporary narratives

By Ram Puniyani*

A recent video by , discussing the dietary habits of Lord Ram, has generated significant controversy. The video, drawing on textual references particularly from the , suggests that meat consumption was part of the dietary practices described in early sources. It also refers to the prevalence of meat consumption and the use of (often described as a ritual drink) in those contexts. The central question raised in public discourse has been whether divine figures, as understood today, could be associated with non-vegetarian food practices.

References to dietary practices in ancient texts are not new. , in his work East and West, spoke about historical food practices among Hindus. In a lecture delivered in the United States in 1900, he remarked that earlier ritual traditions included animal sacrifice and meat consumption under specific circumstances. Such views have also been discussed in academic works, including those associated with the Ramakrishna Mission, which examine Vedic society and its customs in historical context.

, in his writings on social and religious history, analysed how dietary practices evolved alongside broader social transformations. He linked shifts in food norms, including the increasing emphasis on cow protection, to ideological and social developments in post-Vedic periods, particularly in response to the rise of heterodox traditions such as Buddhism. is often associated with opposition to ritual animal sacrifice, while advocated strict non-violence, including abstention from meat. Historical accounts also note that , after embracing Buddhism, issued edicts discouraging animal sacrifice while not fully prohibiting the killing of animals for food.

Over time, practices relating to animal sacrifice and meat consumption have persisted in certain ritual contexts. Temples such as and Dakshineswar Kali Temple are often cited in discussions about continuing traditions of animal offerings. Regional diversity in dietary habits across India remains significant, shaped by geography, culture and livelihood patterns. Data from institutions such as the indicate that a substantial proportion of India’s population consumes non-vegetarian food, with variations across communities and regions.

Dietary diversity is not unique to India but is a global phenomenon. Food practices are influenced by ecological conditions, economic factors and cultural traditions. In coastal regions of India, fish forms a major part of the diet, while in other regions, different forms of animal protein are consumed. At the same time, ethical and environmental concerns have led to the rise of movements such as , which question the use of animal products altogether.

Historical figures have also addressed the question of dietary plurality in society. , while personally committed to vegetarianism, acknowledged the diversity of food practices in India and expressed reservations about imposing uniform dietary laws on a plural society. Thinkers like Asghar Ali Engineer also emphasised coexistence and mutual respect across communities with differing traditions.

The association between dietary habits and moral or behavioural traits has often been debated. However, there is no established scientific basis linking non-vegetarianism with violence or vegetarianism with non-violence. Historical examples frequently cited in such discussions include figures as different as , who followed a largely vegetarian diet in his later years, and , whose life is associated with reconciliation and peace.

Debates around continue to evoke strong responses in contemporary India. A key issue in these debates is the interpretation of historical practices and their relevance to present-day values. While historical evidence points to a diversity of dietary traditions, the challenge lies in engaging with these questions in a manner that recognises complexity and avoids reductive or polarising narratives.

---

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Subaltern voices go digital: Three Indian projects rewriting history from the ground up

By A Representative A new wave of digital humanities (DH) work in India is shifting the focus away from university classrooms and English-language scholarship, instead prioritizing multilingual, community-driven archives that amplify subaltern voices . According to a review published in the Journal of Asian Studies , projects such as the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), the Oral History Narmada archive , and the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre are redefining how the country remembers its past — often without government funding or institutional support.

Search This Blog