My wife's great grandpa was chased out of his village in India for the sole reason that he consumed meat. Father, son and daughter made their way to Rameswaram to make a living. They eventually boarded a ship that brought them to Malaya. They made a livelihood peeling and cleaning prawns for a factory making shrimp paste.
I turned vegetarian overnight for no reason. It just happened. It had to happen; the time had come. The time was right. No one insisted that I become one. No teaching lured me to become one. I did not become vegetarian for health reasons. I did not become vegetarian for religious reasons. It has been some 20 years now since I stopped consuming meat, fish and others. I am not the least allured by it. Today I cannot stomach the smell emitted from cooking meat and fish. I cannot stand the smell of scrambled eggs. I cannot walk pass a fish market nor walk through it these days.
Many on hearing that I was a vegetarian immediately make a statement and waited for me to acknowledge it. "You are a vegetarian. You never get angry right?" It is said that taking satvic food cools your temper. I never lost it. It just needed to be kindled and there you have a volcano erupt. It was for this reason and the prayers my mother placed before Agathiyar, that I was called up and counselled by him for close to an hour on anger management. He immediately created the perfect environment and situation for me to be tested after the Nadi reading. But I failed badly. I still cannot drop my anger over the years. I realize I still have a long way to go.
Turning vegetarian I never did peer at the small and fine prints on the packaging of processed food to see if it had animal products in it or traces of it. I was quite comfortable by just dropping my intake of cooked red meat, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs. It was not a problem to me if cakes, biscuits and other confectioneries carried them. I knew if I looked into the fine print my choices would lessen till I would not have anything to eat.
Back then I would have to seek out eateries that only cooked vegetarian, which were rare. So I would head for the nearest food stall and inquire if they could prepare something acceptable to my palate. Off course I could not expect the eateries to provide separate cooking utensils and crockery. My nose would tell me if I should consume it. Next my tongue would decide if I should swallow it. But I survived because Malaysia being a haven for food where we can savor a wide range of dishes from a wide spectrum of races, the Indians, Malays, Chinese, Portuguese, Baba Nyonya, Thais, Mediterranean, Middle East, English, European and many more, someone will have something for me.
A senior friend of mine would come over to my office each time his colleagues hosted a party. The reason was that he would claim that he did not have anything vegetarian to munch on at the function. I told him it was the company that mattered and not the food. On the contrary I join all my office functions although I knew pretty well I would not get vegetarian food. I would make do with fruits and salads. But I never boycotted these functions. Soon my fellow mates who were of the Muslim faith, began to take notice that I was not eating. Then they began to inquire the reason. They started to cater for vegetarian meals for me. At other times they began to cook separate vegetarian dishes for me. Slowly they began to understand the context of vegetarianism. They prepared dishes for all and would serve me the same dish too, minus the anchovies or prawns etc. Soon whenever I am out for lunch, they would ask me to parcel back vegetarian food for them too. They began to notice, acknowledge and respect the food choices of others too. Our bond grew closer as a result.
Once I accompanied my boss and a Major in the Army for an assignment to Penang. As Penang is a well known destination for good food, they planned to head for the beach to try out the Ikan Bakar or grilled fish after our job was done. As we reached the end of the long row of stalls laid out on the long and sandy beach, they had already decided what they would want to have and in which stall. Suddenly they realized that I was with them and that I could not take any of the food sold at the stalls. These wonderful souls sacrificed their desire to have a much awaited delicacy and instead headed back to the hotel where I could have something vegetarian.
Then again it is a challenge being a vegetarian especially in the remote towns and on the east coast. But I managed well thanks to some divine help. Once I was traveling to Kuala Terengganu with my office mates for a three day course. As most of them were already hungry the bus pulled up at a road side stall just on the outskirts of the town. My friends had a whole lot of choice before them but I had none. I asked the stall owner if she could prepare me something vegetarian. She replied that they took ala carte orders only in the evening. As it was noon then I was told that I had to manage with what they had prepared and displayed before us. I told her I could not take them and returned to my table with a drink. As everyone was digging their fingers into their food, I was left starring at them. Shortly after the stall owner came up to me and asked me what I wanted. She would prepare it for me. I was delighted. I told her the things that I avoided and she then came up with a simple vegetarian rice dish. I thanked her for her compassion. How would you explain the turn of heart in her?
When Dr Janar followed his fellow medical team into the interiors of Sabah, the locals who served meat to them, rushed to gather roots, tubers and plants and prepared a simple meal to his liking. The Dr was moved by their love and compassion.
Understanding the difficulties in opting for a vegetarian diet in a multiracial society like ours, Agathiyar has never taken up the subject of choice of food to me or my children. He has given leeway to them to come over on their own without any persuasion or instilling fear in them or establishing a dateline. My wife became a vegetarian immediately when Tavayogi stated that to receive Agathiyar's Teecha Mantra or initiation she had to become one. But surprisingly a friend of mine who went for the initiation too with Tavayogi was told not to consume the meat of those winged species only.
The small group of four Tibetans held on to the yak, they chose one of the oldest and largest among the herd. Another slit its throat. It was a normal thing in their lives. They needed to feed themselves and their families in the cold of winter up in the high mountains. The host of the documentary could not bring himself to watch nor photograph the scene. It was too gruesome to him but very much a day to day thing to the herders.
We can afford to speak a lot on meals and menu because we live in a comfort zone where everything is available at the touch of the button. We become complacent living in a safe and comfortable zone, where we are spoilt for choice. Throw us into a desperate situation, famine or war zone or drop us off in countries where hardly any greens grow, or where food is scarce, we would have no choice but to eat what was available or made available to us including meat for survival.
I keep reminding myself not to be arrogant when it comes to food telling myself that in times of calamities and disasters we might end up having to opt for processed canned food and sardines to keep ourselves alive. I tell myself that if I was left with nothing else but meat and fish and I had to survive, I shall eat them even if I were to throw out after that.
I am beginning to realize that it is wrong to champion for a cause based on our preference and lifestyles. What is wrong for us would be the right thing to do for a different community. In the face of death and the need to survive, all principles that we uphold vanish.
Suki Sivan talks about two pertinent points that I share too. Those who climb the religious spiritual ladder at one point, out of arrogance, tend to make a mistaken assumption that all others below the rung he stood on, were less devoted or spiritual. The ego builds in them that they are the chosen ones and that all others are dirt and worthless.
The other point he makes is regarding the menu. He touches on some who look down on others just because they eat meat. Suki Sivam lists out several other matters like language, race, origin etc that should not be used to differentiate and belittle another. He strongly says that you have no right to look down on another. He adds that a true gnani would not condemn another's beliefs and practice.
Jay Lakhani in the following video cautions us about passing judgement on others. He strongly cautions us not to judge a person's spiritual standing based on his menu and the food he takes. He says, "You can be a strict vegetarian but with all the baser and lowest attributes and character. On the other hand you might be a noble person who took meat. It is not what you eat but how you behave that is more important."
He strongly makes a statement that we should not classify people purely on their diet, "Do not reduce religion to the menu in your kitchen. Do not reduce religion purely to the idea of diet. It is not what you eat but how you lead your life that truly dictates whether you are truly religious or not."
He quotes Swami Vivekananda has having said that "when something within you tells you that you do not want to eat meat, you are ready to give up meat. But do not force it on other people or yourself. When you feel that these animals are almost human, the thought of how can you eat them arises. It must come from within you then you will give it up."
All desires including the lure of the flesh and tongue has to die a natural death. If restrictions are imposed and fear instilled, it would lay dormant only to take up its hood when the situation and conditions were conducive for it to flourish. Hence the need to exhaust all worldly desires, never leaving even a seed to germinate later. Take the hand of the divine in all matters and you shall be safe.
Why are some then slaves to their tongue? The lure of meat is too great a challenge for them to surpass. Please let people evolve in their own time. Erai is not in a hurry so why are we rushing to convert and change others to comply with our choices.