Buoyed by politics, Beef has become something more than
food in Kerala at present. For the ‘Left-Liberals,’ beef is a symbol of their
freedom to select and eat the food of their choice. In short, beef has
transformed from food to a political tool in Kerala. That is why the left
organizes Beef Festivals in Kerala, a state where there is no ban on beef.
Even the organisers of Beef Festivals won’t disagree with
the fact that these festivals are not food festivals. They are political
statements challenging certain values and lifestyles of Hindus though they are
no more religiously followed by Hindus. By organizing beef festivals, the left
liberals are trampling upon the sensibilities of a helpless group hoping that
their ruthless antics will entrench them in the hearts of Muslims and
Christians in Kerala for whom beef is an important part of their food.
How did beef become a symbol of progressive ideology in
Kerala? Was beef part of traditional diet of the common man in Kerala whom the
communists claim to represent? Or does it symbolize an alien culture which has
subjugated Kerala. Is the left in Kerala taking up such imaginary issues
because they lack symbols around which they can rally people? As a last
possibility we also need to think if the Left Groups have been infiltrated by
extremist groups who force them to take positions that crush Hindu sentiments?
We need to think, but at the same time we need to accept the fact that in the
present Kerala beef as a food has more acceptability than in many other parts
of India.
Different
aspects of popularity of beef in Kerala
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that about 90 per cent
of Keralites taste beef at least once in a while. It means the social taboo
against beef does not exist among Hindus in Kerala. At the same time, it is
wrong to think that all those who eat beef cook it at home. A good number of
Hindus who eat beef eat it only from restaurants and don’t cook it at home. Beef eating is something like social drinking
for at least a few Keralites.
There is also regional, caste and class difference among
the Hindus who cook beef at home.
History
of beef eating in Kerala
Till 1970s majority of Nairs in Kerala never ate beef.
Beef was not a regular food even among OBC Ezhava community or scheduled caste
communities. The only community in Kerala who ate beef in Kerala historically
is Sambava community who are considered to be the lowest of all castes in
Kerala.
Before 1950s this community has been reported to take
away dead cows. Rich families who owned cows will give away dead cows to those
people. Members of Sambava community
reportedly ate the meat and used the hide to make drums used in temples. It was
perhaps because of their Beef eating habits Sambavas were considered to be
untouchables even by other scheduled caste communities. Later reformation
movements in Hindu society saw an end to practices like eating dead cow.
Now to come to the point, analyzing food habits of Kerala
Hindus point to the fact that beef was considered to be a lower status food in
Kerala by the upper castes and economically well off OBCs in Kerala once. Of
course, respect to cows was there among Kerala Hindus too and very rarely one
will find a Slaughter House for Killing Cows, Bulls or Buffaloes run by a Hindu
of any caste in Kerala even now.
Rise
in popularity of Beef
Beef began gaining popularity and respectability in
Kerala by 1970s. There is a social angle to this. The land reforms implemented
by the Communists in Kerala had broken the backbone of upper caste Nairs and
Namboothiries and the rich among Ezhavas. The rich among minorities were not
affected by it and their economic status was untouched. It was almost at the
same time that the Gulf boom started in Kerala and this saw Muslims and
Christians, especially Muslims becoming richer.
Soon their social respectability increased. This meant their food habits
and culture became acceptable at least to a section of Hindus. Those who worked in minority institutions and
those who frequently interacted with them started tasting beef and along with
it a new delicacy
The ubiquitous tea shops in Kerala which once sold only
dishes like Idly, Puttu, Idiyappam (Noolputtu), Dosa, Vada etc started selling
Porottas also made of fine wheat powder imported from north Indian states.
“Tough” Porottas demanded some different curries to go with it and Beef Curry
emerged as the right choice. Along with tea shops Country Liquor shops also
began selling Porotta and a variety of Beef dishes and Beef soon emerged as the
food of the new rich Gulf returnees and local ‘Rough and Tough machos’.
Some market reasons also contributed to the popularity of
Beef. Till the second half of 1990s cost of chicken was high in Kerala and Beef
was low. Beef provided a cheap alternative to those who wanted to eat meat.
Strict implementation of ban on killing wild animals and birds like herons also
popularized beef among meat eaters. Thus with the taboo of beef eating gone
with the social superiority gained by minorities market realities like price
also contributed to its popularity. But even then, it did not become a
respectable food for Hindus.
However by 90s end price of chicken fell but people did
not reject the costly beef. From now onward it is social rather than market
reasons which helped beef to retain popularity.
By 90s, the social equilibrium of Kerala completely changed and flow of
petro dollars began to peak. Even Hindus in Kerala flocked to Gulf in large
numbers as Communist Kerala produced few jobs for the youth. Life in GCC made
Hindu youth from Kerala familiar with Beef as Kerala eateries there which are
mostly run by non-Hindus offer variety of beef dishes. While the main dish in
Pakistani and Arab eateries in GCC are mutton and chicken, in Kerala eateries
it is beef. Non resident Keralites soon
accepted beef and retained their likings even back home.
Thus over a period the cultural and food habits of
Keralites changed. New social and economic realities saw Hindus readjusting
their preferences. The food culture of minorities got marked and habits of
minorities who turned out to be successful in life became worth imitating.
Therefore eating beef became something progressive which successful people do.
Not many wanted to be marked as an obscurantist who shies away from Beef. The food culture of minorities prevailed over
food culture of the majority.To sum up, the respectability to beef dishes in Kerala
is the result of a changed social hierarchy in Kerala where minorities have
become more powerful socially and economically than the majority.
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