Hinduism

An ancient religion with many branches and sects, Hinduism is the major religion in India and Nepal. Over the centuries, rules and restrictions around the idea of cleanliness, expressed in the caste structure and in food proscriptions, came to play a defining role for Hindus. The rules of caste affect social relations and obligations: People of different castes generally don’t eat together or intermarry and people of some lower castes are viewed by higher casts as unclean (see also caste). In modern times, the Indian government has tried to counteract the rigid and stratifying power of the caste system, in some places more successfully than in others. The food rules associated with Hinduism are complex and vary with the caste and beliefs of the family, but the most obvious one is that cattle are sacred and must not be killed, so beef is prohibited. Conversely, ghee (clarified butter) is viewed as cleansing and is a part of many ritual foods. The majority of Hindus are vegetarian, eating no meat or fish or eggs, but the restrictions vary among the different communities (Bengalis eat a lot of fish, for example, and the warrior Rajput caste in Rajasthan eats game and other meat). In traditional Hindu households, widows have a more restricted diet, being allowed no onions or garlic and very few legumes, nothing that might, in the traditional view, excite the passions. Jains are a special group of Hindus who follow a very strict vegetarianism and meticulous respect for life. There are Jain communities (and Jain temples) in many parts of India, especially in the western part of the country, most notably in Gujarat.