THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE

FOOD

The staple food of practically all sectors of the population of Jalgaon is jowar bread. Wheat and rice also occupy a considerable proportion. Rice which is now being produced in Khandesh itself with the help of lift irrigation is getting more and more popular and its presence in the menu is now regarded as a sign of culture. Vegetables locally grown and imported and bananas which are grown on a large scale in Raver, Yaval and Edlabad talukas and are largely exported to north India and other parts of the country as well, also form part of the food of Khandesh people particularly in towns. The cooking and dressing style may differ according to tradition and tastes in the different communities but as in other matters the standard is laid by the townspeople and if may be said to conform to the standard that obtains in places like Poona and Nasik. The service of food in the hotels of these places may be regarded as prescribing the standard menus for dinners and suppers.

The main difference in the eating habits of the people is determined by the fact whether they are vegetarians or non-vegetarians. Among the former may be included as communities, Brahmans, Jains, Marvadis and Banias. The non-vegetarians do not object to eating meat and fish, but most of them are not habitual meat-eaters, though even among those communities may now-a-days be found individuals who have no objection to taking animal food. It is only on festive occasions or in some cases once a week that they may take meat diet. Fresh fish is a rare commodity but dried fish that comes from Bombay forms part of the diet of the peasantry and village folk on a few occasions. Hindus scrupulously abstain from beef, though they may take mutton, eggs and fowl. Milk and ghee form a small part of the diet of vegetarians. A spicy kadhi, i.e., buttermilk boiled with salt and spices is a favourite dish of all Khandcshis and forms part of the menu almost every day. All classes of people have taken to tea in mornings and afternoons.

The pastoral, labouring and agricultural classes take three meals a day consisting of jowar bread, onions, split pulse, some vegetable and garlic and groundnut chutney made with salt and chillies. Breakfast lunch and supper come early in the morninp-before setting out to work, at mid-day and between 7 and 9 p.m. in the evening, respectively.

The urban population take two meals with a tiffin in the afternoon. In the case of the towns people, there may be some luxurious items like pickles and jams and occasionally some sweets in the daily diet. Milk, curds and ghee may be there according to means, and the quantity of rice and wheat may be much larger than that of jowar. Otherwise there is not much of a material difference in the diet of the rural and the urban people.

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