One day, Ranu looked very happy in the class. When her friend asked her the reason, she said that there was a marriage in her village. Ranu said that she met many of her uncles and aunts along with their children. They sang, danced and played during the marriage.Besides, there was a variety of dishes cooked for the marriage. She ate very tasty food items like fried brinjals, dal, mixed vegetable, rice, paneer, fish, mutton and chicken. Different kinds of sweets such as laddus, halwa and kheer were also served. She was happy because she enjoyed a lot during the marriage.The most interesting fact was that they sat together to eat. There was no difference of big or small, high or low. It was indeed a memorable get-together.
Special Occasions
People in a village or town meet for various celebrations like weddings, festivals, birthdays, anniversaries and ceremonies like naming, first-feeding etc. We invite our friends and relatives for celebrations. In some cultures, the whole village participates in a marriage celebration.Special food is cooked according to the custom of the place. In most of the religious festivals, ‘prasad’ is distributed.People cook food in large vessels to feed everyone who comes for celebration.
Meals in Schools
Mid-day meal is served in many schools all over India. This program is mainly run by the government for poor primary school children studying in government schoolsThe objectives of the programme are:
- to protect children from hunger and malnutrition.
- to encourage children to come to school.
- Meals in school
- to teach children to associate freely without any difference of religion or caste.
- to make children healthy with nutritious food.
- to give job opportunity to women.
Food supplied depends upon the food practices of each state. But nutritious diet is served in all the schools.In some schools, school canteens also serve meal to the students. But it is not free. The students have to pay for the food. The food items are often suggested by the authorities in the school.Boarding schools serve food for the boarders. They too pay for the meal they take unless it is supplied free by the government or an NGO. Students from far off places and those who have no schools close to their homes stay in boardings. These schools have a large dining hall and all the children eat together.Pantry and dining cars in trains are really helpful for people who travel long distances. Pantry cars provide food for passengers in the train. Some trains provide dining cars where people can dine together and socialise. There are people who serve food in the pantry car.Eating together creates relationship. It develops a feeling of oneness. There is no difference between rich and poor. People sit together either on the floor or at the table to take food.In gurudwaras food is cooked and served for all those who go there. This is called langar.
Festivals and Food
Maharashtrians eat modak on Ganesh Chaturthi. Muslims eat mutton on Id-ul-Zuha.Christians eat fish and meat with many other preparations on Christmas. Diwali is celebrated with a variety of sweets.Hindus eat chana and halwa as prasad in Navratras. Moreover, in Durga Puja, we eat rasogulla, sondesh and other sweets.Pongal festival in Tamil Nadu is celebrated with a special dish called pongal. Onam is celebrated in Kerala. People eat different dishes of banana and other vegetables.
