THE BISHNUPRIYA MANIPURI FOOD CULTURE

THE BISHNUPRIYA MANIPURI FOOD CULTURE

Introduction :

At the outset I express my gratitude to the organizers of this seminar for giving me a chance to read out this paper. I am neither a researcher nor a scholar in this field. However, I have prepared this paper out my own experience being the member of the community as referred above. My humble intention is to share my experience with the scholars present and learn something out of their suggestions.

History says man is primarily concerned with taking food for his nourishment, stimulations, strength and preservation of his body. He is interested in eating proteins, fats etc for the purpose. But at the same time he is also fond of taking tasty and delicious food.

Food habit has become the part of the culture of a community. Sometimes it also reflects the social philosophy, the culture and way of life of the community. It is a fact that different communities in the world have different food habits sometimes quite distinct to each other sometimes similar. It is also a fact that the geographical and climatic conditions are the prime factors for growing food habits amongst different communities. The ingredients of food are primarily agricultural products. The nature and quality of soil and quantity of rainfall and hot and cold climates are the deciding factors of production of food ingredients in different regions or locality. Therefore, the South Indian and North Indian dishes are separate and distinct. Religion and social customs also play important role in forming food culture in a community. In his verse, Gokolananda Geetiswamy, national poet of the Bishnupriya Manipuris says :

                                    “Agekate beyapate mahumangso khasila

                                    Kukir sade jura baddiya kane angthi lamkorla.”

(The forefathers (of the Bishunupriya Manipuris) were habituated in eating meat and non-vegitable items. They tied their hair in the form of a jura and wore ear rings like the Kukis).

But after their conversion into Ramandi and New vaishnabism of Sri Chaitanya School they forsook their habit of taking hot foods i.e. meat, onion, garlic etc which are very rich in protein and are responsible for stimulation of anger and biological urges. However, the community could not leave their habit of taking fish, the habit of which grew up for centuries.

The political influence and cultural exchanges also play an important part in forming separate food habit in a community. The colonial rule in India had changed food culture of the Indians. Different ethnic and tribal groups of the North East India are changing their food habits because of their coming in contact with the plain people like Bengalis and Hindustanis and vice versa.