0
Westerners often have this question for those of South Asian descent. They feel that it is uncultured and uncivilized for people to eat with their bare hands. The people of the West have their forks, spoons, and knives, while the East Asians have their chopsticks. They wonder why, even in this day and age, Indians insist on eating with their hands.
Ask any Indian, and he will say that in order to completely enjoy Indian Food, it must be eaten with one's fingers. Most Indians maintain that eating food with the hands is far easier than eating with cutlery no matter how habituated one may be to using forks, spoons, or knives. In defense of the practice of eating with the fingers it may be said that this leads to a certain minimum level of hygiene. It forces people to wash their hands before and after meals.
Moreover, many Indian foods such as naan or roti (types of flat bread) are best eaten in this way. What Indians do is that they break the bread, dip it in one of the condiments -- curry or chutney -- before eating it. Rice is customarily blended with curries so that each mouthful is unique. One point to note is that in the past, meals were served on banana leaves. Using forks or knives to blend curry and rice on banana leaves would have only resulted in shredding the leaves. Eating with the fingers was definitely a better bet in those days!
One thing that should be noted is that Indians eat only with the right hand. The left hand is considered unclean, and eating with it is frowned upon. However, while serving food or while passing a dish to someone else, it is the left hand that should be used.
Despite the basic rules of eating being the same, a number of differences arise on moving from one region to another. For instance, in northern India it is impolite to dirty more than the first two segments of the fingers. Since Northerners eat a lot of breads and generally have drier curries, this does not pose too much difficulty. However, in the South, where people eat a lot more rice and enjoy soupy curries, it can get somewhat messier.
There is a philosophy behind this Indian practice of eating with the fingers. In India, eating is perceived as being a sensual activity. The idea is that one should be able to enjoy the process of eating with as many of the senses as possible - taste, smell, sight, and touch. Ask any Indian, and he will say that Indian food tastes best when eaten with the fingers
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What did the woodland Indians use pottEry for?
Eating Drinking Filling water and more
What word did john smith use in line 1 to describe eating with the Powhatan Indians?
because I'm dumb
What were the Cherokee Indians resources?
What were the Cherokee Indians resources? it was eating and selling things
What weapons did Indians use in the french and Indian war?
The flintlock, smooth bore musket was the most common weapon used by the French, English, and Indians during the French and Indian War. Toward the end of the war, all sides used bayonets. The Indians used hand-to-hand combat at times.
You use this for eating?
chopsticks maybe your sliced fingers... no really. we also use spoons, forks,knives. baka!
What did pueblo Indians use for eating?
Pueblo Indians made pottery bowls to eat, cook, and prepare foods in. They did also have self made tools such as knives and spoons. Pueblo Indians still to this day make pottery bowls, plates, platters and such.
how to eat?
Make a delicious food, take spoon or use your hand put it in your mouth that's
Did the Prophet Muhammad ever give with his left hand sadaqa or anything?
Of course he did use his left hand to give or to take things,but depending on what.''Sadaqa'' is always given by the right hand. Like when you are eating,you do use your left hand as well to feed or to past something over.
What did Indians use for hunting?
They used the fur to disguise themselves.
Is it a sin to eat with your right hand in Islam?
No, you're supposed to eat with your right hand in Islam.Its sinful to eat with your left hand,because you wash the private parts of your body with it.Devil is eating with his left hand and whoever start eating with his left hand,its mentioned that he is eating with the Devil.
Why beef is not served to Indians?
Some Indians are Hindus, and Hindus do not believe in eating beef as it is a sacred animal.
Is eating with your left hand taboo in Saudi Arabia?
yes, infact eating or any good work is supposed to do with right hand in ISLAM. Eating, drinking, taking, giving, holding books, shaking hand and all are to be done with right hand.
