Dear Navratri celebrating North Indian,
Since years I get this look when I say or cook fish during Navratri,ย โArrey baap re, you are having non-vegโ, followed by โthese 9 days we donโt even touch garlic or onionโ which implies that I am doing a sin.
Once a lady tested my patience by surmising, โWhat kind of puja you Bengalis do. You eat non-veg and say that it is your pujaโ, I actually had no answer to this judgmental behavior but seethed in anger and snapped, โWe are like this only….totally wasted peopleโ, her ego and intelligence seemed satisfied.
I am a Bengali. Guys, please accept it once and for all. Donโt give me dirty looks and act surprised when I say I eat non veg during Navratri. Your Navratri is my Durga Puja and for Bengali people it is a celebration time. We eat only non-veg during Durga Puja and not only that we even sell non-veg food in or near our pandals .
I am not committing any sin or blasphemy. Our Maa Durga, the Bengali version of Durga has happily given us permission not to be on fast. She loves to see us happy.
And if you may know Bengali ladies also keep fast and eat vegetarian on Soshti and Aashtmi. We are on fast till we perform morning pushpanjali.ย We serve only vegetarian food as prasad or bhog.ย So we are not that bad after all. Though I donโt need to justify but I thought you might like to know.
For Kolkata Bengaliโs who are thinking what gibberish I am talking about because this concept is alien to them? Let me explain. In North India, people celebrate Navratri, same Goddess Durga, almost same Sanskrit mantras, and same reverence only with a minuscule difference โ Vegetarian food and fasting.
So, Bengali people who eat meat during Navratri are looked down upon.
A sincere request, it is our way of celebration which is totally certified by our learned Brahmin purohits. So stop judging me and my ways of prayer and dare not give me the looks.
Yours
Non-vegetarian eating Bengali
Date: Navratri
52 comments
Itโs no surprise that u being a bengali and to top that ur from JNU, u wrote this self guilty article to give urself a fake self assurance. No wonder u will defy any age old custom mention in our Shruti & Smriti. Just to fulfill ur craving for flesh by bluffing ur self that Maa Durga gave u permission to eat flesh. If itโs written anywhere than plz enlighten us. But ur far better than those who avoid eating flesh and jump to eat it after navratri, so as they have been deprived of water and air. With little or should I say no knowledge of Dharm u should just say โ Itโs my choice โ Rather than trying to justify ur action using Maa Durga.
Hey,
I’m a north Indian and I totally support you. Ma Durga or any God/ Goddess wants her children to be happy. And as it goes she is a daughter returning to her maika during these days. So why will you not prepare all kinds of dishes (veg and non-veg) when your daughter comes home for a visit?
Don’t mind these judgemental people and just enjoy coz any festival is first and foremost a celebration! It’s more important to be kind than to be vegetarian or satvik. None of these vegetarians would have ever done a good deed for street animals.
For the record I googled this topic and so glad your blog post came up as I was also looking for like minds (though I’m not a Bengali). But you guys know how to do Pujo in the right manner, I love the pandals, the stalls, the shows, the dresses and the yummy food. Thank you for keeping a celebration a celebration and not murdering the spirit of it!
Pls don’t take the excuse of Vedas to satiate your flesh eating habits .
Bengal has been a predominantly Muslim area since eight centuries and that influence is there even after Bangladesh separating out
No need of Vedas . Utilise common sense .
Your purohita are themselves meat eaters so they will say nothing
Pujas for celebration are useless . These were devised in ancient times for a soul to get outof birth and death cycle not to celebrate , shop on discount items and enjoy your tongue by killing thousands
It’s no surprise that u being a bengali and to top that ur from JNU, u wrote this self guilty article to give urself a fake self assurance. No wonder u will defy any age old custom mention in our Shruti & Smriti. Just to fulfill ur craving for flesh by bluffing ur self that Maa Durga gave u permission to eat flesh. If it’s written anywhere than plz enlighten us. But ur far better than those who avoid eating flesh and jump to eat it after navratri, so as they have been deprived of water and air. With little or should I say no knowledge of Dharm u should just say ” It’s my choice ” Rather than trying to justify ur action using Maa Durga.
Some where I read , boasting about Bengali scientists, Engineers ! My question is where are they working ? Bangalore or Mumbai or Delhi !
On any given day , Kolkotta cannot provide jobs, cannot create business opportunities, dont allow non begalis ! As they claim all non bengalis are outsiders in Bengal but bangladeshis are natives ! The film industry in Mumbai or sea port industry in Gujarat employs Bengalis ! The pride is not just in eating non veg food but extends much beyond !!!! Once up on a time we had Tagore who wrote Bharat Bhagya Vidata to praise britishers and we all know for what !! Once up on a time we had boses, ghoshs etc ! Stop living in past Move forward
Improve your universities like Jadhavpur !!!!
I have worked extensively with many governments and I know how it works in WB Government !
You may be wondering why this fellow talks of other things other than food that too beef ! Dont get carried away by beef or pork or goat !!!
Learn from Kannadigas, maharashtrians on how to feed people from all over India, Killing a cow on the road does not prove anything .
Violence in campus, violence in elections, but proud of eating non veg ! Misplaced preferences !
Just talk to TATAs or Narayanmurthys , you will know the truth !
Dont say politicians did that , politicians do what people want them to do !
It does not happen in Maharashtra,Gujarat, Karnataka etc
We have eye sores in Kerala,WB,Kashmir
where strikes, killing animals and people is a matter of pride !
In other states students go to university to study physics, chemistry or mathemetics but in three states they go to take out morchas, pelt stones etc
As long as you don’t scroll the mobile and change channel without washing hands ..I am fine with it. I liked the lines. ”
And if you may know Bengali ladies also keep fast and eat vegetarian on Soshti and Aashtmi. We are on fast till we perform morning pushpanjali. We serve only vegetarian food as prasad or bhog. So we are not that bad after all”.
Yes we do leave our shoes outside the pandal. We Maintain ethics in all the rush .. how many incidents of misbehaving have you heard during all the cheos of parkstreet or any other places during durga puja.. isn’t that a part of worship too ? We may stare or wink but we respect ladies during the queues. Isn’t that a vegetarian ism??
Others eat plants and beat others to death in mob lynching. What kind of upwas and vegetarian is that??
Thank you for highlighting this Gitanjali! All the people offended by ones eating non vegetarian food during Navratra, thinking of themselves as holier Hindus than the “rest”, could you please pull your heads out of your asses?
Durga Puja is a festival which is inherently Kshtriya in nature. Eating well (which includes non veg), Shastra Puja, Pushpanjali, celebration through sindoor jhelna and so on are all deeply rooted in a certain set of ideology. In fact, a portion of my family offers alcohol as prasad to the goddess. There is a reason why 9 different forms of a Devi are worshipped. And none of them represent arrogance, delusion or the hatred most of you spread. What makes you think you’re better than the rest? You believe is what is your version of abstinence, I believe in what we have followed as celebration of Goddess Durga visiting us after an year.
So, DO NOT force your version of puja, the rest are as free to practice their traditional customs as much as you.
Hi Gitanjali,
Let me first assume that we are not debating on the moral question of ‘killing for our likings’.
This is merely a platform where we discuss if it is all right to have food/fast/feast/eat non-vegetarian food during Durga pooja.
We need to first understand the reason why Durga Pooja is celebrated. It marks the time when Durga mata (who lives on Kailash parvat, being Parvati’s avatar) comes to town to meet her devotees and give us mortals a chance to offer our hospitality to Her. One of Her avatars is ‘Kali’ who we all know is given ‘maans n madira’ as offerings (Hence, the tradition of offering non-veg and alcohol, as mentioned in an earlier post by another gentleman). Goddess Durga is ‘Shakti’, which in part is destruction/culling, or whatever you want to call it, for the betterment of human world.
I can’t imagine a scenario where I go to someone’s place and I am told that they would not be having anything other than satvik food (and that too after fasting the whole day). Just till the time that I am visiting them. All year round they may have anything and everything to eat, but not when I am their guest.
Now, the other matter… North Indians celebrate these 10 days as a reverance to Lord Ram, who is said to have slain Ravana on the 10th day. While Bengalis celebrate it for Goddess Durga. Most people end up confused between these traditions. Not the Bengalis though, who are very clear that they are welcoming Goddess Durga among their midst.
For those who worship Ram, I say, they go as per his tradition of fasting. And let others decide how they want to worship. The contexts are totally different, so Let us all stop being judgemental.
-a non-bengali
Hi,my name is Sujal I’m in class 9th I could give some suggestions to you you are writing that MAA Durga want to see you happy first of all you have to know the meaning of MAA and MAA Durga even MAA Kali is the mother of whole world , universe you couldn’t say that MAA Durga see you happy If even you kill his other child’s and eating meat of them MAA Durga comes in Naavratri,Durga puja to see that his child’s
happy even they are plants, animals and humans and you are killing them for your mean that’s not fare you could make MAA unhappy because you eat meat. Thanks for your time if you read my suggestion.
Hi,my name is Sujal I’m in class 9th I could give some suggestions to you you are writing that MAA Durga want to see you happy first of all you have to know the meaning of MAA and MAA Durga even MAA Kali is the mother of whole world , universe you couldn’t say that MAA Durga see you happy If even you kill his other child’s and eating meat of them MAA Durga comes in Naavratri,Durga puja to see that his child’s even they are plants, animals and humans and you are killing them for your mean that’s not fare you could make MAA unhappy because you eat meat. Thanks for your time if you read my suggestion.
Very well said dear….
These bongs are stupid and tamsic…
No one can do…. Even our shiv ji could not do anything regarding this
So y dont u go ahead and stop eating all together. Not only during navratri but also whole year round. Because just as animals, plants r also living being , they have life too and most of all even they r maa durga’s children am i right ?
Can we mastubate in navratri?
this brouhaha about non veg during Puja or otherwise, is sheer Bengali battering. It appears that lot of Indians have lot of time in engaging in such petty activities more prevalent in adolescents. I have lived in a colony where we respected South Indians having doodh bhaat, Baniyas having daal roti, Punjabis having sarson da saag, Bengalis having kosha maangsho etc etc. India is a multicultural fabric with thousands of dimensions intertwining in every day life. Its difficult to even imagine 30 countries living together like India does. Once a Canadian had remarked to me that its amazing how India coexist; in Canada with only two languages had a referendum to separate”.
I want to add one more thing here that we pray “Kali” and if people know she is carrying a sword and a cup containing blood. I am not a Bengali, but we do also eat non-veg in Navratries. Actually first day of Nav Durga, we offer non-veg to mata kali and “Rum” for Tripatri. I am from north India and same question I faced many times.
I am a Bengali and I am proud of it. Few years ago I turned vegetarian and I feel great about it. It’s not like that Bengalis can’t be vegetarian. ISKCON, the organization which has taken the message of Bhagwad Gita around the world is based on the teachings of Gaudiya Vaishnavism which is a part of Bengali culture only and they are among the first people to teach westerners about satvik vegetarian food of India.
But now when I see around towards my other Bengali folks in pandal it makes me sad. People are more concerned about enjoying chicken roll, macher chop, etc rather than celebrating Maa’s arrival.
No matter what people say, a prosperous and happy society has a deep connection with satvik mode of life. It’s true that my community has produced some of the finest minds of this country, but I would like to ask other bengalis here that why West Bengal is in so dark state today. Why people are dying with poverty in Bengal? … It’s just because of ignorant mode of life of Bengalis. Yes bengalis do flourish when they go to other state, but then they spend their whole life working for Gujratis and Marwaris and other North Indian communities.
Yes I am proud to be Bengali but sometimes I also feel ashamed of it.
Who ever wants to eat meat can eat meat during Navratris and who ever does not want to eat meat like the majority of believers should not. Maa durga is not worshipped only by the Bong community but rather the Hindu community. So let the different Hindu groups follow their traditions as well……just dont superimpose an idiotic pride saying that I m a bong so I eat meat. I AM A NON BONGAND TAKE PRIDE REMAINING VEGETERIAN DURING DURGA. SO BOTH ARE EQUALLY RESPECTABLE.
Very well said.
No self control for Bengalis and Keralaites. When rest of India is so pious by not eating non-veg during auspicious occasions, Bengalis and Kerala alone would hog non veg all round the year. No wonder these two states never prosper and live in dharidhra. You are what you eat, so their minds too are crooked because of such non-veg eating. Meat eating is wrong and very wrong during puja.
Sohini, that is a very hard statement. You are generalizing it too much. Just because we love our food that doesn’t mean that we don’t have self control. There are many sadhus and sanyasis who belong are Bengalis and there self control is beyond question.
Dear Sohini V,
How old are you? Six? Seven?
The connection you have made from eating habits to the states of West Bengal and Kerala are laughable. The states don’t prosper thanks to the politicians. Or do you want me to start reeling out the numbers of Bengali scientists in NASA and ISRO? Waitaminit, who was it who wrote the national anthem you sing with so much pride?
In short, with such deep-seated prejudices as yours, I shudder to think what your kids (if any) will go through.
regards,
anindya BANERJEEE
PS: Personally i thought, Gitanjali was being too soft in her rebuttal to you. Oh wait, isn’t she supposed to be “crooked because of such non-veg eating.”
Haha, well said Anundya. You eat non-veg that is why you are smart ๐
Very well said!!
This is sooo true !! Its just bang on the spot…..jake bole “bull’s Eye”. I just posted it on FB..sorry didnt take your permission. But your post is just so good that I couldn’t stop the temptation. Wishing you a superb Durga Pujo ๐
Thanks ๐ No permission required for sharing. Please spread the word around.
Nicely expressed and almost echoing every Bengali’s feeling out of Bengal, especially during Durga Puja…
Thanks. It means a lot ๐
The hallmark of any intelligent being is to use own common sense before talking about “Kali Maa” or any “God”. Before we talk about “Navratri”, the main questions should be “Are animals my natural food?”, “Do I have to kill other animals for my survival?”. When answers to these questions is a resounding “No”, what is the point of discussing Navratri diets?
I want you to feel guilty for partaking in the exploitation and objectification of animals. Real guilty. And if you have compassion that is not selective, you will. You are actually eating death, torture, and the fear of animals who did not want to die in the first place, and when left to themselves in Nature, would have lived out the normal span of their lives. You have the power of choice to stop being the cause of their painful deaths and suffering but you want to use convoluted logic to justify the holocaust on their bodies. You being happy, celebrating…. at whose cost? By cruelly terminating the happiness of another sentient being?! Wah! Apart from being low vibration food, compositionally, animal milk is nothing but pus, urea, and pesticides mixed with body secretion; meat is laden with animal feces; and eggs are a hen’s periods.
Read this and ask your soul whether you are capable of elevating your consciousness to this level: http://diannesylvan.com/nonfiction/a-vegan-pagans-prayer.
By the way, what this post was for? Was anyone asking for any explanation? Note: I am a quarter Bengali by chance ๐
Well I guess its time I mention my thoughts about this. You see we Bengalis are very foodie types and we love our non-veg. We also believe that respect for religion does not entrust on not having non-veg or fasting. We definitely are a very culturous lot but don’t truly believe in blasphemy.
We don’t snap back and say “Whole year you guys do all sort of wrong doings and during navratri you show as if no one is as saintful as you.”
Just to let you know non-bengalis, our Vedas do not preach that you should fast or not eat non-veg during navratris. Vedas has a scientific explanation to fasting. Fasting and having veg food or fruits helps giving rest to your digestive system. Alas, the pandits don’t preach that to you. For us food is a celebration too. Hence, leave us with our beliefs.
Happy Durga Pujo to all and have lots of non-veg.
Nicely Drafted ma’am but I am not OK with the fact that you are seeking permission from Maa durga (You stated: “Our Maa Durga, the Bengali version of Durga has happily given us permission not to be on fast. She loves to see us happy.”)
I guess you are either God fearing person rather than God loving Person. Why justify things based on GOD will like it or not. To eat anything is your choice but I do not agree to the fact that we must do certain things just because of the age old belief that “Oh God will be angry with me!”
Apart from that it is a nice attempt to change thinking of those who still believe that eating non-veg during prayers is not good! If this is the case then people must look down upon those who waste so much of milk over the shiv-linga which does nothing but goes down the gutter in the end. Or that when people are praying for Lord Vishwakarma, they keep on playing loud music all night as if God will be very happy to listen to hip-hop rap and not sleep instead!
Thanks for giving your valuable thought on this topic. I agree with you. You got it right. May be the way I was brought up the concept of God fearing is deep rooted. However, you are right that this is not a good way of thought. I also agree to wastage of milk by pouring it on Shiva.
What if I consider you and similar people being on earth as waste. Don’t justify you convenience in name of Bengali culture. We all know how our ignorant and chalta have behavior have caused us. I am not a hardcore religious but that doesn’t gives me liberty of marking whatever my religion have given me as waste and scrap.
Hinduism is already marred since centuries due to our “Chalta hai ” behavior. Please don’t kill it with this kind-of article. You and me are free to eat and live the way we want but when you do distinguish yourself as “Hindi Bengali” I do have right to say โWhat kind of puja you Bengalis do”
If only all people understood that religion is a local affair and a personal affair and each person can choose her way of fasting and feasting. Thanks for this post.
If people understood…the world would have been a better place to life. Ah! this if…
Very true!!!! Love the post geetanjali! Saw it shared by a dear friend on fb.Devotion shouldn’t be set in rules. Its individual and only between god and his devotee. God really only sees your honesty. There’s no point setting rules and following rituals if you have no idea of what god wants us to do. To look inside and contemplate. For the record if you’re being judgemental sarcastic and critical of a culture other than yours…well you need to check with essence of shakti and not just read but understand durga saptshati which speaks of killing demons…ego being one of them…not respecting a viewpoint is a form of ego. I totally understand how you feel …I am often asked you’re a tarot reader a healer and a psychic medium…how can you eat non veg…you must remain pious specially in your diet. Enough said… happy navratras may maa durga guide us and enlighten us all.
Thanks Sugandha for writing your views on this topic. I never realized the deep penetration of this judgmental behaviour. Eating vegetarian food is in no way guarantee of being more faithful to God.
Yes, I do agree with the comments that you have given… Happi Nav ratri Pooja
Thanks Niladri ๐
And the prejudices do not stop….I too have faced the same thing, it is funny how people are cocooned inside their culture and cannot even have the mentality to understand and appreciate other cultures.
Yes Datta, I am beginning to see that it more about one’s perspective. These people are like the frog in the well.For them everything they do is good and everything unlike is both bad and against them. Nothing else exists.
Loved this write up. I am beginning to hate the way vegetarians are giving the non-veggies taunts on how they are killing lives to satify hunger.. blah blah. But its a way of life, and you have your way of life. Imagine if the non-veggies start force-feeding the veggie folks meat.
Wooah! I totally agree with your point. A very valid one ๐ Thanks for bringing it up Lata.
People are vegetarian or non-vegetarian for personal reasons, religion being one of them. However, if you eat non-vegetarian food, it is sheer hypocrisy to shun it for a period on religious grounds โyou either eat or not eat it. I find it ludicrous that some people turn away from onions and garlics too to appease the deities.
And not only that Umashankar, I have seen people turning into frenzy, “Ah, tomorrow the navratri starts let’s get drunk today then for 9 days it will be sookha”. Now with this kind of emotion what fasting do you expect and what right do you have to question others. However, I have seen this tendency more among women than men.
Lol, what is new in it Gitanjali, those who know Bengali’s are aware of this fact. I am glad that you thought to post about it ๐ In India every Puja is celebrated in some other way at a near by distance only, and here the states are changing, so it will surely change it’s shape. ๐
Haha…yes Alok. Questioning one’s way of religion as it is a questionable deed and on top of it you come up with condescending behavior that is just too much.
Ahhh sab machhli ki kamaal ๐
You should observe keenly how how men out there (and offcourse ladies too who has the passion) express their helplessness “Aaare yaar navratri aanewali hai… aaj pee lete hai” ๐
What I feel, humans should stop pretending and trying things against the call of their ‘atma’… If you stay hungy minded you can’t be happy… aur khud khush nahi ho to bhagwan khak khush kar paogi :-))
Joy Maa Durgatenasini…………….
Haha…we being Bengali Anunoy I have seen this throughout my life. My dad’s friend would always be after him, “dada aap ke ghar pe baith tey hain phir kal se toh blah, blah….”
Ridiculous hypocrites. Always hang around our house to get an invitation for fish party and then you have the audacity to question our beliefs and religious systems.
You said it! Certified, sane and perennial! Jai bangali! ๐ Best wishes for a wonderful puja, Prasad, adda and Bengali delicacies
haha ๐ Yes, I finally had the guts to say it loud and clear. Interestingly after venting out I feel much confident for so many people relate and have been subjected to such judgmental behaviour. I had never known, had I not written,