“Magh Bihu: More than a feast, a stand for local meat traditions against Halal Hegemony”, Swarajyamag, January 14, 2025:

“In the heart of Assam, a festival stands as a testament to the region’s rich agricultural traditions and culinary diversity. Celebrated with immense fervour and enthusiasm, Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu, is a harvest festival that marks the end of winter and the culmination of the rice harvest. It falls in mid-January, coinciding with the end of the month of Pooh or Pausha in the Hindu lunar calendar, and is a celebration of a successful harvest, as nature is thanked for its bounty.

It turns into a vibrant display of community spirit, feasting, and a celebration of indigenous food traditions. Beneath the lively festivities, however, Magh Bihu serves as a subtle but powerful form of resistance against the silent hegemony of the halal meat economy that has grown dominant in the modern food market. I am not against halal meat. In a democratic country like ours, every individual and community has the right to choose what they want to consume.

However, I am against the uniform imposition of one particular choice of consumption, as it disregards culinary diversity and infringes upon one’s right to choice. Halal meat, governed by Islamic dietary laws, has been promoted by large-scale meat producers, international food chains, and even government-operated tourist restaurants and agencies. Fast-food giants like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King, along with erstwhile national carriers like Air India, have increasingly adopted halal meat as their primary choice, catering to the preferences of a particular community, leaving little room for diversity.  Halal meat has become the default option in many urban areas, including in Assam’s larger towns and cities…….”

Read the full article at Swarajyamag.com