THE PEOPLE

FOOD

The every day food of the agricultural and labouring classes consist chiefly of jowari meal, pulse, onions, chillies, oil, salt and a considerable variety of green vegetables and spices. One delicacy called kadhi is made of the meal of gram pulse, mixed with sour milk, dahi and served with spices. On days of festival, particular dishes are served, especially among the well-to-do. Such dishes are Purnachi Poli, Khir, Ladu, Vade and Bhaje. On some festivals, again, further special rules apply. On Nagpanchami one may take fried cakes but not baked ones, because the serpent god would be burnt by an iron pan being put on fire- On Mahalakshmi day, one may eat ambil phal and vegetables of as many kinds as possible. On Pola day chom-bada (jovari boiled in water) and cucumber are taken. Nothing fried should be eaten during the prevalence of an epidemic. One should not eat khichadi on Monday or besan on Thursday as that is supposed to invite poverty. It is lucky to eat parched gram on Friday but not on Thursday or Saturday. During a period of mourning, most people abstain from sugar, milk, fried food and turmeric: People who know mantras for the cure of snake-bite should never eat padval or shevai or dodka, turai, apparently because their form resembles that of a snake. Most of the middle castes represented by the Kunbis eat the flesh of goats and fowls but refuse that of cows and pigs, though Malis arc said to eat both of wild and domestic pigs. They smoke tobacco and take liquor made from the Mahua flowers but may not smoke ganja or drink shindi or tadi. Kunbis insist, however, on a Muslim fakir pronouncing the halal when an animal is killed. Rajputs generally eat the flesh of male animals only and some of the higher castes are strict vegetarians and abstain from all intoxicating liquor. Among the very low castes some, like the Mahars, refuse to touch the pig, but some like Mangs and sweepers eat it. These people have no objection to taking gdnja or shindi. Castes with hunting associations like the Pardhis, eat the wild but hot the domestic pig. Muslims will not touch the pig and the men of understanding among them often observe the prohibition of intoxicating liquor but others both visit the shops and take liquor contracts too.

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