Food is not just a fundamental right, but also a very intrinsic part of our cultural life. In India, food is linked intricately to identity and culture. Biryani is one such food that has a rich history in India, along with a huge fan base who celebrate and consume it.
However, food is not devoid of politics, and biryani has had its place within that domain. Ever since 11th October 2020 was celebrated as World Biryani day, certain incidents have taken place on social media and in real life which has brought this delicacy at the forefront of the public space.
1. Indians Violate Social Distancing On World Biryani Day
This is a rather funny incident that shows the extent to which a person can go so that they can receive a packet of biryani. In Tiruchy (Trichy), a small town in Tamil Nadu, a popular biryani chain called KMS Hakkim Biryani Centre offered biryani for a mere amount of 10 paise to the first 100 customers! It also offered biryani for one rupee to volunteers fighting the pandemic.
The road that leads to the restaurant was crowded on the day. Many people didn’t observe social distancing.
In Karnataka, a 1.4 km long queue was seen outside a small eatery called Anand Dum Biryani at around 4 AM. Twitter broke into a discussion on whether the wait was “worth it, ” since many did not follow the rules of social distancing.
The biryani centre has been in the business for 22 years and cooks and serves around 1000 kg of biryani a day!
2. The Origin Of Biryani and Nationalism
Amidst the question of whether breaking the norms of social distancing was worth eating a plate of delicious biryani, netizens kept the discussion alive by debating on the origin of the food itself.
Read More: In Pics: 12 Iconic Dishes And Desserts You Must Have (And From Where) If You Are In Kolkata
On Twitter, a certain netizen tweeted the following: “Open challenge: Boycott biryani if you can!”
Open challenge: Boycott biryaani if you can!
— seemi pasha (@seemi_pasha) October 13, 2020
Post the tweet, Netizens started putting in their views and facts about the food item. One of them alleged that the dish is mentioned with a different name in Sangam literature, and was an original Indian delicacy.
Others pointed out that it was part of the Persian empire and was appropriated by the Mughals since rice does not grow in Mongolia.
Some even stated that it was consumed in the Deccan region in the 15th century, while certain others claimed that it was mentioned in the Ramayana.
The discussion has become too polarised that some have expressed their love for biryani by classifying themselves as ‘anti-nationalists.’ Funnily, the debate also extended to the discussion of the correct spelling of biryani!
3. Identity And Biryani
On World Biryani day, Rajasthan Royals won the IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. They tweeted and mocked them on the same day by ‘ordering a large Hyderabadi biryani’ from Zomato. That’s how much identity is linked with food.
Last week, a transwoman from Kerala reached out on Instagram regarding the issues she was facing with her biryani business. Hailing from the Ernakulam district, she and her friends were respectfully trying to make a living by selling biryani on the road.
However, many vendors around the area had harassed them and made comments on their sexuality, which had completely hindered their business and stopped people from buying from them.
In the video, she mentioned how she was only able to sell 20 out of the 150 packets they had prepared to sell. However, after the video went viral, relatives and friends reached out and informed the authorities of the event.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja has promised that action will be taken against the culprits, and safe and dignified workspace will be endorsed for trans people.
What are your thoughts on this trend? Leave them in the comments below.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: New Indian Express, Republic World, India Times + more
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