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THE PEOPLE
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FOOD
Dietary habits of particular sections of the community may be slightly different but broadly speaking the pattern of food is the same in all talukas of Satara. While in the drier parts, jowar bread may be the staple food, in the hilly western parts bread of nagli and rice may be in vogue. Other eatables like fruit and vegetables, milk and its products are consumed by all according to their means. The main dividing line in the food habits may, however, be the inclusion or otherwise of animal food in the diet. Brahmans, Jains and Lingayats and such Marathas as have taken a vow to eschew animal food, are ordinarily vegetarians. All other Hindu communities take meat or fish occasionally. Mutton is a favourite item in the diet of the Marathas but beef is scrupulously excluded by all Hindus; it is indeed considered sacrilegious to eat beef by them.
All agriculturists, artisans and pastoral classes in Satara habitually take three meals a day. The fare consists of jowar or bajri, rice and wheat on occasion, vegetables, (leafy and fruitarian), split pulse and alan or zunka i.e., gram flour boiled with cumin, coriander, chillies, salt, turmeric powder and onions. Chutney made of garlic, chillies and salt is used as an appetiser almost daily. Besides grains, pulses, fruits, spices, oil, curds and butter, they occasionally eat eggs, fowl, meat and other flesh but very few can do so except on festive occasions like weddings, family festivals and days like Dasara and Holi. To offer an animal to a deity and then take its flesh as prasad is common enough. These people have a light breakfast in the morning before starting the day's work. It consists of bhakri, chutney and plain water. This is called nyahari. About noon time their meals are taken to the fields or places of work by their women folk or children. This lunch again consists of jowar or bajri bread, vegetables and split pulse. It has become common for these people to have a cup of tea also with nyahari. In the evening, between 8 and 9 is taken the supper which consists of bread, rice, milk or buttermilk or curds and some vegetables.
People who are somewhat better off and enjoy a certain social standing like the rich Maratha families, Brahman families of land-holders and professionals and others have for their staple food poli or capati made of wheat flour, bhat (boiled rice), varana (boiled split pulse), tup (clarified butter or ghee), fresh lemon, bhaji (vegetables), pickles and jams of various fruits. Milk and curds are necessary ingredients of their food. Flesh and fish are used by meat-eating communities. At the houses of well-to-do people, food is cooked and served by servants but in other families, women usually function as cooks and servers. These people are particular about taking bath and worshipping family gods before taking food and it is customary for them to have guests to dine with them almost every day. A Brahman changes into silk cloth for lunch and dinner, but the custom has almost died out. Hut no one eats with working clothes on. Men and children of the family are seated in different rows on pats and by their sides are left clean water-pots and cups. Particular styles of serving eatables in the plates are observed and it is considered uncultured not to conform to them. It is customary for most males of the family to eat pansupari after meals. Some smoke or chew tobacco. It is usual to sit for meals with upper parts of the body bare. On festive occasions rich dishes like puranaci poli, basundi, shrikhonda,
ladu, pun etc., are prepared.
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