I am a vegetarian by my religion (Jainism) and have always taken pride for not having put any animal product in my mouth. I never really considered butter, cheese, cream and yogurt as animal products. Its abundance and processed nature deceived me into thinking that they are some super- healthy food crafted in super-factories. I grew up drinking milk three times a day in order to meet the protein requirement; no meal was complete without large servings of butter on bread, rice and curries. Then, globalisation crept into India making mammoth Western food products available in Indian markets, like cheese, yogurt, smoothies, Baskin Robbins and Hagendaz ice creams. Local companies like Amul and Britania also entered into manufacturing these products so not to lose their market share. This might sound like a marketing lesson but the point I am driving at is while I marvelled myself being a vegetarian I had no qualms about cramming down any dairy product sold in the supermarkets. The irony lies in the fact that some of these milk cartons have pictures of happy cows on them to lure potential purchasers.
I happened to be in a farm a few days back and as I peeped into the dark and dingy cow shed, my eye fell upon a calf tied next to its mother; I was taken aback as the calf's mouth was terribly tied with a old rag so that it could not drink from its mother's mammary gland. The image of that calf with a rag tied over his mouth stayed in my mind as waves in the ocean. It kept popping into my mind more often than now and sending harsh signals to the brain to stop and introspect. It nearly became difficult to enjoy an ice cream or a cheese cake. I did a painstaking search on cruelty attached to rearing of cattle for its product. As I researched more it opened new passages that lead me to a new world. The world of Veganism, Veganism- the word and the concept was as alien to me as planet Mars. I was stupefied when I discovered that a Vegan diet is highly nutritious and greatly reduces chances of Hypertension and Diabetes (kills more people than cancer in India)A vegan can derive its protein requirements from tofu, soya, almonds and other plants and vegetables. A vegan diet keeps the weight of a person balanced and reduces chances of obesity. I am a firm believer of the fact that your temperament and appearance is reflected by the kind of fuel you give your body and a vegan diet is the most supreme and purest intake that takes out the best in a person as far as sensitivity and humility is concerned. I am excited yet anxious of being a Vegan, I am impulsive and self- control and has never been my strength; so I experiment being a vegan for a day, a week, a fortnight, a month. I had 80% success in those trial days and months until it became a way of life and now I have been a Vegan ( certified in mind) for over a year.
I happened to be in a farm a few days back and as I peeped into the dark and dingy cow shed, my eye fell upon a calf tied next to its mother; I was taken aback as the calf's mouth was terribly tied with a old rag so that it could not drink from its mother's mammary gland. The image of that calf with a rag tied over his mouth stayed in my mind as waves in the ocean. It kept popping into my mind more often than now and sending harsh signals to the brain to stop and introspect. It nearly became difficult to enjoy an ice cream or a cheese cake. I did a painstaking search on cruelty attached to rearing of cattle for its product. As I researched more it opened new passages that lead me to a new world. The world of Veganism, Veganism- the word and the concept was as alien to me as planet Mars. I was stupefied when I discovered that a Vegan diet is highly nutritious and greatly reduces chances of Hypertension and Diabetes (kills more people than cancer in India)A vegan can derive its protein requirements from tofu, soya, almonds and other plants and vegetables. A vegan diet keeps the weight of a person balanced and reduces chances of obesity. I am a firm believer of the fact that your temperament and appearance is reflected by the kind of fuel you give your body and a vegan diet is the most supreme and purest intake that takes out the best in a person as far as sensitivity and humility is concerned. I am excited yet anxious of being a Vegan, I am impulsive and self- control and has never been my strength; so I experiment being a vegan for a day, a week, a fortnight, a month. I had 80% success in those trial days and months until it became a way of life and now I have been a Vegan ( certified in mind) for over a year.