Shahu Patole challenges food, caste norms in ‘Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada’

CHENNAI : Anna He Apoorna Brahma”, declares Shahu Patole in the title of his thought-provoking book, challenging the conventional wisdom, ‘Anna He Poorna Brahma’ — that food is the complete truth. Food is an incomplete reality. At least in India where food habits and caste cannot be separated. “Just as caste is cemented at birth, so is diet,” writes Shahu. His work in Marathi was recently translated by Bhushan Korgaonkar as ‘Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada’. Published by HarperCollins Publishers India, it delves into the nuances of Dalit food culture in Maharashtra, particularly focusing on Mahar and Mang castes.

Diya Maria George

“Food culture has become a part of politics, and democratically elected governments are also participating in it,” shares Shahu. The author confronts prevailing stereotypes surrounding vegetarianism in India, stating that dietary choices have been historically weaponised to reinforce social divisions. He says, “I proudly declare that I am a pure non-vegetarian Hindu following our traditions and culture.

Things that are imposed or copied often need publicity and propaganda — vegetarianism. Non-vegetarian people never have to publicise the importance of being non-vegetarian, as it’s an integral part of our food culture.” His approach is deeply personal, rooted in his upbringing and memories. “Everything I have mentioned in the book is based on my lived experience,” he reflects, emphasising the authenticity and firsthand nature of his accounts.

The blue colour book cover, illustrated by Shrujana Niranjini Shridhar, intricately weaves together elements discussed within its pages — from the essential ingredients like meat, onion, and garlic, to the scenes of women preparing meals and children savouring them. It’s a visual preface that encapsulates the essence of the narrative within.

About her intention behind the design, Shrujana explains, “I wanted to normalise ingredients like the cogulated blood or the meat since there have been so many attempts to demonise meat-eating cultures. I knew that along with the food, the people who make and eat this food complete are the most important of the culture.”

The book also documents daily practices, ingredients, farming, fuels, utensils, measurements, wedding traditions and meals, specific parts of animals used for cooking, folktales, postnatal diets, food prepared for funerals, the 1972 famine and its impact on the rural food culture of Marathwada. Emphasising that preserving all this information is necessary, he writes in the book, “Because of my ‘sin’ of writing this book I don’t know in which form I will be born in the next birth. However, may such ‘literary sins’ continue to be committed relentessly.”

Excerpts from an interview with Shahu Patole

What was the primary idea behind writing this book?

I felt compelled to write this book because I couldn’t find any references or direct mentions of our food culture in any old or new religious or social literature. The Bhagavad Gita, the Dnyaneshwari, and the literature of Vaishnav saints talk about three categories of diet: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic. Our food is categorised as Tamasic, but it is not described in detail anywhere. So, I decided to explore its roots. Although this is not my area of expertise, I started looking for answers to these questions. The reader will be the best judge of whether I have been successful in this endeavour.

You have mentioned in the book that your siblings didn’t like you writing the book in great detail. How challenging was that?

It wasn’t just my siblings; many of my relatives and community members didn’t like what I wrote in this book. They still don’t. However, my siblings have now started to understand the intention and perspective behind it, so they have begun to support it. I never faced any significant challenges because I never wrote anything untrue. Also, I am quite capable of engaging in intellectual arguments with anyone.

Your book was first published in 2015 in Marathi. Why did it take so long for the translation to be published?

All three publishers of my Marathi book are Brahmins. They knew it was risky but they still went ahead and published my book. This could only happen in the progressive state of Maharashtra. Everyone knows who owns or heads the top positions in the leading publishing houses of India and which castes and classes they belong to. The answer to your question lies in this data.

You also talk about other castes, subcastes, the disappearance of castes like Kure Mang and independent code languages. Do you think they also wanted to protect their recipes?

Vedas were transmitted from one generation to another through oral tradition. The same thing happened with Dalit food culture. When the British established their control over our country, they brought the education system, industrialisation, law, order, and administration. This began to shake the centuries-old Indian village economy. The British also introduced foreign food items, but still, the non-vegetarian components and some of the main ingredients in our plates continued to exist. Over time, some of the dishes disappeared gradually and organically, and a few new ones were added due to social changes. The same thing happened with our code languages. Additionally, our languages never had a script, which may also be one of the reasons for their disappearance.

What are you currently working on?

I have three other books published in Marathi. One is about my memoirs of the Bharat Jodo cycle rally started by Baba Amte. Another is about my experiences living in Nagaland for work, and the last one is a collection of articles. I am currently writing a book on Manipur, and another collection of articles is on its way to being published.

Excerpts from an interview with Bhushan Korgaonkar

The book has a rich vocabulary of farming and cooking. How difficult was it to translate?

It was challenging in many ways. Firstly, I wasn’t well versed with the food culture of this region as I was born and raised in Mumbai. My parents are from Konkan and Goa, so even my vacations or other travels rarely took me to Marathwada. Secondly, I had never seen the equipment, processes, and customs described in the book. To overcome these difficulties, I spent time with Shahu and his family in his village, observed most things firsthand and then started working on the book.

You mention a curated session where Shahu Patole shared his food experiences, and actor Nandita Patkar read excerpts from the book. Could you elaborate on this event?

When I read the book, I realised how important and unique it is. We occasionally curate sessions at Kala Studio at Khar and Piroja Studio at Vile Parle in Mumbai, where we invite artistes from different walks of life to share their experiences. I thought that this book must be brought to our sessions and discussed. So, I curated a 90-minute session where actor Nandita Patkar read out excerpts from the book, and I interviewed Shahu Patole about his experiences. He also sang a few songs, and the session saw a full house. We were also invited by Asakta in Pune to repeat this session as part of their activities. I am happy to share that talks are ongoing with a studio in Bandra, Mumbai, and we may repeat this session soon with Nandita and Shahu in English, Hindi and Marathi.

As a translator and a reader, what made the book different for you?

As a translator, the part I enjoyed the most was working on the rooted Marathi proverbs, sayings, and a folk song. It was difficult to convey these elements in a different culture, but I tried my best to maintain the essence and the lyricality. I have received some positive feedback about this, so I am happy that people are admiring it.

What I liked about the book was the sense of humour. Yes, it is about poverty, deprivation and social injustice. The writer also mentions how people from this community used humour in tamasha and other art forms to crack jokes about their own condition. This resilience and ability to find humour in difficult situations stood out to me and added a unique dimension to the book.

Any additional thoughts?

I believe more writers should come forward and start writing about their memoirs, especially those from marginalised communities. We often read and hear success stories and inspirational tales from the ‘haves’, but the experiences and perspectives of those from marginalised backgrounds are equally important and can provide valuable insights into our past, present, and the ideal way forward.

Moholachi poli (honeycomb)

Ingredients

Honeycomb containing larvae and eggs

Oil or fat

Onions, chopped

Red chilli powder

Salt

Method

Cut the honeycomb into small pieces.

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry onions till brown.

Add chilli powder and salt, mix.

Add the honeycomb pieces, sauté a little. Cover and reduce heat to low.

Let it cook for a while. Serve.

Lakuti/Lakushi

It is a dish prepared from blood (of large animals as well as goat and sheep). When the cooked blood cools down, these thick chunks are broken and mashed gently by hand. Lakuti can be eaten by itself or along with bhakri or chapati.

Ingredients

Oil or animal fat

Onions, chopped (finely or roughly per taste)

Yesur powder

Green chilli paste or crushed green chillies or red chilli powder

Mashed cooked blood

Green coriander leaves, chopped (optional)

Method

Place a heavy-bottomed pan or a tava on the fire.

Add fat or edible oil.

Add chopped onions and fry till brown.

Add yesur and mix well. Do not let it darken or burn.

Add chillies and mix thoroughly.

Immediately after that, before the masala turns dark, add the mashed blood and sauté.

Cook for five minutes, garnish with green coriander and serve.

Courtesy : TNIE

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