Foods of India, Sacred and the Ordinary
The Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Division is actively engaged in documenting India’s diverse food culture through a project titled “Foods of India: Sacred and the Ordinary.” This project aims to explore selected ingredients, highlighting their cultural, ritualistic, and culinary significance. It examines how each ingredient is contextualized within sacred temple offerings, ritualistic traditions, and exclusive regional cuisines, with folklore and historical perspectives integrated into the narrative.
A key focus of the project is to trace the journey of each ingredient from its raw form to a delicacy, documenting harvesting techniques, associated rituals, worship practices, and traditional recipes. Currently, the project is investigating the cultural, ritual, and folkloric significance of twelve food ingredients across ten states: West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Collaborating with temple priests, chefs, anthropologists, historians, and homemakers, the project seeks to understand the intricate connection between food, culture, and tradition.
Case Studies and Food Categories
To ensure a comprehensive study, the project has selected ingredients across a range of edible genres:
- Cereal-Millet: Rice
- Aquatic Flora: Lotus
- Nuts and Oil Seeds: Poppy and Sesame
- Seed and Fruit: Coconut and Mahua
- Animal-Derived Food: Fish and Chicken
- Dairy Product: Milk
- Insect-Derived Food: Honey
- Herbs: Betel leaf and Betel Leaf
- Lentil: Moong
These ingredients were chosen not only for their culinary and ritual significance but also for their widespread availability across India. This wide availability allows for the documentation of regional variations and oral traditions, enriching the study with a comparative outlook. The selection also ensures the inclusion of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian categories, with each ingredient featuring prominently in both sacred and everyday cuisines.
Through meticulous research and documentation, the Foods of India: Sacred and the Ordinary project seeks to shed light on the profound cultural importance of food across India’s diverse regions. By exploring the deep-rooted connections between food and heritage, this initiative aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of India’s rich culinary legacy.
