I have written retirement tributes to the likes of Sachin,
Dravid & Ganguly in this blog and requiems to the great comedian Nagesh and
one for even Maggi noodles when they were recalled from the shelves. In fact I
even wrote a tribute to Mr. Bata the legend who adorned my feet in my growing
years. Hence not writing a tribute or a requiem for the beef would be
sacrilege.
This is purely written in jest and is not based on researched
facts with regards to the legalities of prevention of cruelty to animals or
Anti Slaughter laws and their effects on the beef ban. Since the whole world
was debating about it, I have also jumped into the beef ban bandwagon. I know
very little about the benefits of cow urine or the celibacy habits of peacocks.
Though born a Syrian Christian in the grasslands of Central
Travancore where kids are taught to call a grazing cow or a bull as beef, I
spent most of my childhood at my Iyer neighbour’s and developed a liking for
good Iyer food, the likes of Thayir saadam, Vatha kuzhambu, Pavaka Pittalai, Narthangai
etc. I eventually shunned meat at home and was branded a pariah by my own clan
as I refused to eat beef. In fact, I was one of the earliest proponents of the
beef ban at a home. The best part of my childhood was that I was never
indoctrinated by my neighbours to stay away from the food habits to which I
culturally belonged. Looks like the world has come a long way since, food habits
transcend religion and taste buds should be left out of politics.
Beef is an integral part of the Kerala kitchen and rightly
they were the first ones to be up in arms against the ban. Though the augmented
consumption of the same along with its better half the parrotta has brought
about an increase in lifestyle diseases among its citizens, you cannot wean a
Malayalee away from the beef or the beef from the Malayalee. Ironically, I developed the love for beef not
in Kerala but in an Ikka’s cafeteria on the other side of the Arabian ocean
during my bachelor days in Dubai. Ikka even served me what was called an
Ammachi (Grandma’s) Beef curry. Hence
the beef played an instrumental part in helping me connect during my days away
from home.
Later during my travels to Germany I came to know beef was
not all about beef fry or Olathiyadhu they could also be devoured as steaks that
are rare, medium or well done. Coming from a middle class background I always
thought Medium is what I should order.
It took me some time to learn the correct pronunciation of steak or to
order for well-done ones which came close to tasting my mom’s beef within 5
Minutes of it being on the stove.
I firmly believe that food habits are a cultural preference
and taste buds are apolitical. So if one wants a bite of a flank, shank, chuck,
plate, brisket or any of the loins, so be it. Food habits at the end of the day
are as personal as religion. Let’s not mix them up to create a cultural farrago
(Thanks to Mr. Shashi Tharoor)
We should be more worried about the other cruelties doing
the rounds around the country like poverty, sanitation, water conservation, or
security of the women folk in general.
