Being Vegetarian
I have been a Lacto-vegetarian
for most part of my life as we are Tamil Brahmins who by practice do not include
egg or meat in their diet. The only instants when I became a lacto-ova
Vegetarian was when for a brief period I was advised egg by doctors for extra
nutrition or when I unintentionally had a cake or a pastry made with eggs. Folks
in my family get queasy when they smell non-vegetarian food or are sitting next
to someone who is eating one. Over the years, I have got accustomed to the sights
and smells of non-vegetarian food being eaten next to me.
What irks me is the attitude of some
people who discover that I am a vegetarian. They invariably come up with a cockeyed
story of a Brahmin friend of theirs who gulps non-vegetarian food as if he/she was
a crocodile in their last birth!! Whether all of them make up the story or they
really have a friend like that is a big mystery. I really wonder whether these people
say this just because they are too dumb to come with a conversation starter or
are biased towards vegetarians. I have also come across total jerks that derive
a sadistic pleasure in trying to trick me into having non-vegetarian fare. There
are even others who think we are cows that eat only leaves and grass!!! They
find it difficult to comprehend that there are many tasty and innovative dishes
that are available.
On the other hand, I have come across very
good friends, colleagues and strangers who go to great lengths in trying to accommodate
my vegetarian palette.
I am curious to know if it’s only me or there are others who also have had similar experiences.
I would love hear your experiences about being a vegetarian. Do write to me in
the comments section below.
Even I wonder why can't people accept vegetarians as they are when we are accepting the people who eat non veg, though they kill a life just to fill the tummy. There are actually good nutritional food being vegetarians.
ReplyDeleteFrom childhood, i love to eat non veg food. Slowly i reduced eating non veg (don't know why). Now i completely avoid. But I cannot answer or convince my family who questions me why I'm not taking all those suffs��
ReplyDeleteI've a similar experience, btw, I am a Lacto ovulo vegetarian, most of the times when my friends discover that that I am a Lacto ovulo vegetarian, they first try to understand if I am a brahmin to which I had to respond that I am a lacto-ovulo vegetarian by practice and not by the virtue of community. Then they try to Persie me to taste a non vegetarian food. If I deny that stating the reason about the smell that stinks, then they keep arguing. This has been there for ages and would take time to respect others choice. Even in movies for instance, cheeni kum we are mocked with labels like gaas-poos.
ReplyDeleteI am telugu brahmin.I have similar experience. Few brahmins are taking non-vegetarian food. What irritates me is, there are some people who think that all brahmins are like that.There were instances where serious arguments took place.
ReplyDeleteI used to hear questions like "what happens if you eat non-veg","what is there in vegetarian food" , "all brahmins are eating" and so on.
Very embarassing situation.
Yes, some times people cannot tolerate vegitarianism they make unwanted comments.
ReplyDeleteI should proudly say that I was highly respected by many foreigners for my being a vegetarian. As I was working for a German Company's Liaison office in Calcutta and Bhubaneswar, I had to dine very often with foreign visitors. They respected my vegetarianism and took much care that I was not even by oversight served non vegetarian items.That was there behaviour. Our people are mischief mongers and even force a vegetarian to eat non vegetarian items.
ReplyDeleteBeing a vegetarian I too faced the same situation
ReplyDelete