The entire debate about food choices is centred around the purity-pollution axis. Dr Dhiraj’s story, interestingly, revolves around food and faith – religious rituals – exclusively for Different Truths.

“Totally veg, I tell you, these eggs come from machines, and they have nothing non-veg-like in them”, Samir told Anubhav in an I-know-it-all manner.

“It means they won’t result in baby chicks given under the right conditions?” Asked Anubhav, knowingly boosting his friend’s ego.

“That’s what I am telling you, my dear, for half an hour. Even on international flights, they keep eggs on the veg menu. I told you about my aunt who travelled from the UK last month. She told me the same.” Samir was satisfied that his sermons convinced one another to go for non-veg diets, even if those were eggs.

After Samir was gone, Samidha came into the drawing room. “So, Mr Kaushal, your atheist friend has convinced you to eat eggs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and even during Navratri,” she asked sarcastically. 

“Who says? You know that though I love having eggs every day, I won’t touch eggs at any cost during these days.”  Anubhav replied to his wife with pride.

“Is that so? Okay…then who will eat those ten eggs lying on the tray in the fridge?

“What do you mean? I will,” asked Anubhav.

“Hmmm…I knew it, baby, that you don’t know. Today is Sunday, and from this Tuesday onwards, Navratri is beginning. Should I throw the eggs in the dustbin as they will not be fresh after the Ashtami?” She was teasing him now.

“No, no. you know they are special desi eggs…I procure them with difficulty from that local vendor, and they are expensive too.”  Anubhav said gingerly. 

“So?” Asked Samidha enjoying the situation.

“My darling, why don’t you start eating eggs? They are good for your health.” Anubhav said.

“No, no, ji. Unlike you, I am a pure vegetarian who eats eggs but is otherwise vegetarian. Wao!”

“They call it being ‘Eggetarian’ these days! You won’t understand. Leave it, and I will finish the tray before Tuesday. Don’t cook any vegetables for me.”  Anubhav said firmly.

Samidha went out saying, “Ok, that’s good for me. Some little respite from the kitchen heat.”

Later in the evening, while working on his laptop, Samidha again reminded him, “I have not cooked anything for you. You are on your egg mission! Right?”

“Yes, I remember.” Reluctantly Anubhav left his work and went into the kitchen. He did some calculations in his mind and made three eggs omelette for his dinner.

The following day, he took two boiled eggs for breakfast and made egg curry with the rest five eggs. Deep inside, he felt satisfied as he didn’t waste any food item (egg) and utilised the resources properly.  

The Navratri came and went by, and as usual, he didn’t touch anything that could have any egg inside it. On Ashtami day, his daughter Isha who was studying in a boarding school, joined the family for puja. Isha was studying Psychology as a major after her graduation. After the puja, she asked his father, “Pa, what was that egg mission you did pre-Navratri?”

“So, your mom told you? I finished the eggs before the start of Navratri; that’s it!”

“Why Papa?” Isha asked though she already knew the answer.

“You know I don’t eat eggs during the Navratri days. Sacrificing, eating non-veg etc. does not hurt you much, but for many, it is difficult to leave even this. Let me tell you, beta, a little bit of fasting and sacrifice makes your determination strong, and with your sacrifice, you make your deity happy too.”

“So, you sacrificed eating eggs? Isha continued.

“Yes baby, I did, you know that.”

Isha thought momentarily and then asked, “Pa, how many eggs do you eat in a week?”

“Two eggs a day and leaving Tuesdays and Thursdays aside…it usually comes out to be ten eggs a week,” Anubahv said after some calculations.

“And Papa, this Navratri was of seven days this time?”

“Yes, dear, you are right”. Anubhav was alert now. This Generation Z kid was playing some mind game with him.

“So, Papa, where is the sacrifice? It was just a ‘time-adjustment’. You ate the whole ten-egg quota of seven days just before the start of Navratri. So instead of eating eggs evenly during the week, you ate in advance. I don’t see any sacrifice but just a time adjustment.” Isha concluded.  

“What are you saying, my dear? I did nothing. There was no sacrifice at all?” asked Anubhav, confused.

“Yes, Papa Ji, rather than eating a whole lot of ten eggs in just one-and-a-half-day time shows your too much longing and attachment to the eggs. Then, that desire should have been sacrificed. With your devotion during the Navratri, it was easy for you to sacrifice eating eggs as it is every Navratri ritual for you.”

Seeing his father speechless and deep in thought, Isha felt guilty. She continued, “But it’s okay, Pa, it is not with you only; studies show that most people tend to eat more before or after fasts. This is quite common in long-term fasting”.

“Hmm…so finally, what do you want to say?”, Anubhav asked, now more puzzled.

“Only this, that sacrificing any eatables or food has no connection with spirituality”. She got up, giggling, and went into the kitchen to arrange the unwashed dishes. 

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Dr. Dhiraj Sharma

Dr. Dhiraj Sharma is working as a faculty at Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab. He holds three PG Degrees, one PG Diploma, and a Ph.D. He has fourteen books and more than Seventy, nationally and internationally, published papers to his credit. Professionally, he is actively involved in writing, teaching, and research and personally working outside his comfort zone, he is a keen Birder; Nature & Wildlife Photographer; Realistic and Semi-Impressionist Painter.

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