Kerala Kalamandalam, known for maintaining its brahminical tradition, had served a meat to the students on its campus for the first time.
Published Jul 17, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2024 | 2:03 PM
Kerala Kalamandalam, known for maintaining it's brahminical tradition, had served a nonvegetarian food to the students on its campus for the first time. (Supplied)
A cultural shift has happened silently in Kerala Kalamandalam, known for its long-standing vegetarian tradition. Food controversies are not new to Kerala, particularly in Kalamandalam – the “Deemed University for Art and Culture” and Training and Performing Arts Centre for Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Thullal, Panchavadyam, Carnatic Music, and Mridangam.
The university, known for maintaining its brahminical tradition, had served non-vegetarian food to the students on its campus for the first time.
On 10 July, chicken biryani was served to the students who opted for non-vegetarian food. The surprise does not end here. The chicken biryani was prepared by inmates of Viyyur Central Jail.
In the first week of July, a mess committee was formed to address to food demands of the residential students. The committee comprising teachers, students and non-teaching staff, after elaborate discussions, agreed to provide non-vegetarian food, to those who want it. The menu chosen was Chicken Biryani.
The committee also decided to place the order to Freedom Food Factory, run by the inmates of Viyyur Central Jail at Ramavarmapuram in Thrissur.
On 10 July, the food was served at Kalamandalam’s canteen for free of cost to the required students, breaking all the odds. The committee also resolved to meet on 20 July to discuss the possibility of including other non-vegetarian cuisine on the menu.
Speaking to South First, K Anilkumar Superintendent of Central Prison & Correctional Home at Viyyur said that they received an order of 500 chicken biryanis at a cost of ₹65 each.
“While taking the order, I didn’t know it was for Kalamandalam. We prepared the order and delivered it. Only after the news reports, we came to know that it was for Kalamandalam,” he said.
He also confirmed that there were no further orders for the future. “We are not concerned where it is served. Our aim is to provide quality food and we are ready to take future orders,” he added.
When South First contacted Dr P Rajeshkumar, Registrar, Kalamandalam, he said he was on leave for a few days and unable to comment on the issue. However, sources inside told South First that there has been pressure on the administration.
“Since the institution receives grant-in-aid under Kerala’s Cultural Affairs Department, the government is in favour of providing non-vegetarian food, if required. However, a section of faculty and administration had opposed the move. There are pressures from the Right Wing organisations to drop the initiative,” the source said.
South First learned that the top BJP leaders are trying to soft-pedal the issue by not turning it into a controversy as they are eyeing the upcoming by-elections.
“Since BJP had won in the state for the first time, it seems they are taking every step carefully. They don’t want to get into open controversies and that too on food issues, where a majority of Keralites have awareness on the food choice,” said Thomas Eppan, a retired Political Science professor.
He also added that several times when BJP did politics in food, it had backfired them and obviously they will try to handle the issue by other means.
Prof. VT Rema, BJP state vice president, speaking to South First said, “Anyone can eat what they like, including students at Kalamandalam. But why are they adamant about serving chicken biryani on campus? This is a planned attempt to destroy temple art forms and their holistic nature.”
Asked about the stand of the BJP on the issue, Rema said that “usually, local protests are held by the BJP on such issues, but no protest has happened yet. Surely, it is not deliberate. There are more pressing subjects in the state on which the party is focused.”
However, another BJP state vice president Dr J Premeela Devi, was forthright.
Speaking to South First, she stated that Kalamandalam is not like other institutes of arts and it exclusively focuses on temple art forms like Kathakali and Bharatanatyam.
“Why do some groups insist that non-vegetarian food should be served on the campus? Students can go out and have anything they want. The motive behind serving chicken biryani within Kalamandalam is not pure.”
“The LDF government’s decision to introduce a non-vegetarian menu at the Kerala Youth Festival was similar. They try to please some groups by promoting these kinds of initiatives. This is not appreciable, and the decision should be revised,” she added.
Welcoming the decision, the SFI state president PM Arsho said, “SFI is with the students of Kalamandalam. They have every right to eat what they like. The administration of Kalamandalam also supports the students. It is a positive initiative and should be welcomed.”
“Actually, it is sad that our present political scenario forces us to discuss what can be eaten where and by whom. The BJP has now softened their aggressive reactions against such controversies. This doesn’t mean they have shifted their Sangh Parivar ideologies. They still focus on Manusmriti, but they are now afraid of opposition voices. That’s why they may be soft-pedaling their protests,” he added.
Since 1930, students residing in the residential campus at Kalamandalam had been served only plant and dairy-based foods.
At first glance, it may seem insignificant, but to grasp its importance, we need to look back a few years to understand how food has been politicized in Kerala.
Kerala State School Youth Festival was held in Kozhikode in January, where a controversy over the menu erupted for the first time, this year. The controversy began with a Facebook post by Asokan Charuvil, the general secretary of the Kerala Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham, stating, “A Brahmin cook is a contribution of the social renaissance in Kerala”.
The reference was to celebrity chef Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, a Brahmin by caste, who won the tender to provide food to participants of the youth festival.
Many questioned the decision to have a chef who would prepare only vegetarian cuisine at a festival in Kozhikode, a city renowned for its diverse and authentic non-vegetarian offerings. In Kerala, where a majority of the population enjoys non-vegetarian cuisine, this vegetarian menu choice has sparked criticism.
Attacking the left supporter Charuvil, Congress leader VT Balram asked why the LDF government bent its principles to serve only vegetarian food cooked by a Brahmin.
The controversy came to an end after State Education Minister V Sivankutty made a promise to add non-vegetarian food to the upcoming festival.
Following this, Namboothiri stated that he won’t return to Kalotsavam kitchen again, making it clear, “I am not concerned about controversies. My job is to provide good food for the participants.”
On 27 May, 2017 Kerala witnessed a number of beef festivals across the state by different political organisations.
SFI Kerala region had announced that they would conduct beef fests at 210 centres, That was against the Union government’s new rule under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act to ban the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets.
SFI district unit conducted a beef festival outside Kerala University. Kerala Students Union (KSU) distributed beef curry outside Ernakulam BJP office while SFI and DYFI conducted the fest outside Town Hall.
It was inaugurated by Kadakampally Surendran, the then Minister for Co-operation, Tourism and Devaswoms. SFI had organised beef festivals in every district.
Cooked beef was also distributed in Cochin University campus and Kalady Sanskrit University in Ernakulam district. Youth Congress distributed raw beef meat to the public in Malappuram.
On 21 November 2021, during a press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram P Sudheer, the BJP’s state general secretary said that halal was a bad custom like the triple talaq and demanded the Kerala government ban halal system and halal boards at restaurants.
(Edited by N Venugopal)
