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Is Eating With Hands A Sin???

Discussion in 'Friends & Neighbours' started by kcb, Jul 7, 2017.

  1. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    Here I mean to say using only spoon, fork & knife VS eating with the hands directly.

    Anyone experienced or heard criticism for eating with hands? Criticism or comments from other Indians?

    Some of my acquaintances / friends claim they are not used to eat with hands or they don't know how to eat with hands. But they eat rotis with hands only ;)...I would love to see them eating rotis with spoon and knife.

    I respect their habit if they cannot eat with hands & I make sure I keep the cutlery ready for them. But I felt bad when they target South Indians for eating with hands. Once a person commented he saw a South Indian eating sambar rice using his entire palm and the sambar was rolling up to his wrist (which I felt a little too much of exaggerating). May be by saying this he felt he can make his other chemcha (spoon users) friends happy ;).

    I can eat with hands & spoon with same level of convenience, but it depends on my mood or level of comfort.

    I don't know whether it's a new fashion or people think they become great / famous by criticizing others for their habits, skin color & cultural background.

    Note: Not to forget the recent comments made by a BJP leader about the South Indians for their skin color.

    Why people forget that we are all Indians and are from same country even though our regions / states are different.

    If we cannot accept our fellow Indians, then how can we expect these foreigners to accept us in their own land?
     
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  2. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

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    People have been doing this since time immemorial.

    In our culture, we have always had the concept of mleccha (outsider, foreigner or barbarian).

    Disgust at the habits of others is a natural human phenomenon.

    It is only coming to the fore now because people have started mixing in great numbers and we realise how different everybody is.

    It may serve as a useful counterpoint to note that @people0skills was harassed by her office colleagues for not savouring rice with her hands. While outside her home, she used to eat with a spoon. She felt comfortable that way. But, her colleagues objected.

    So, it is not just those who eat with their hands who are harassed. Given enough numbers, those who eat with hands start harassing those who eat with cutlery. :) It is just a question of numbers and who is more dominant.

    And it is not just North Indians harassing South Indians, in this case it was South Indians harassing each other.

    I trust you get my point.

    Nice topic by the way.

    :)
     
  3. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    Yes I agree with you. Even my intention was not about North Indians Vs South Indians, but it was about people making hurtful comments about other's habits who ever it may be or whatever region they are from.

    Why can't people just accept others as they are and move on.

    BTW I like most of your responses in other threads too.
     
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  4. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

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    Thank you. :)

    I wish it were that simple. But, as I said in my previous post, "disgust at the habits of others is a natural human phenomenon".

    I myself get disgusted when I see people slurping and eating rice with their hands.

    A friend of mine was disgusted to find Westerners not taking their shoes off when they entered their homes and even lounging on their beds with shoes on.

    Ideas of cleanliness, of beauty, order, hygiene, right and wrong are deeply ingrained in us from a young age. We cannot be expected to drop them as adults.

    The solution, unfortunately, is not greater understanding or mutual co-existence, but either creating a global monoculture that we can all live with or living in our own separate spheres so that people have no idea what others are up to.

    Both "solutions" are quite oppressive and obviously unworkable So, we just have to muddle along with what we have and surround ourselves with those who are like us.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2017
  5. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    Just for curiosity I am asking this - what makes you feel disgusted when people eat rice with their hands. When we can eat so many items with hands and do so many things with hands, then why can't a person eat rice with hands?
     
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  6. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

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    Perhaps I should not have said that. We were gliding along quite nicely until that point. :)

    It is not a rational response my dear.

    That is what I tried to explain in my previous post.

    Some things are too deep-seated to be analysed rationally or removed from one's mind rationally.

    I am sorry I cannot provide a more convincing answer.
     
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  7. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    @Umanga

    As I mentioned earlier, I always liked most of your responses & always had an impression that you are a knowledgeable person, I still have that impression, so just a debate on one single point / thread never changes opinion we formed on someone :)

    We are still gliding along quite nicely :)

    As I mentioned it was just for curiosity & to know your point of view. Nothing offensive.
     
  8. Sunshine04

    Sunshine04 Platinum IL'ite

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    nope. i eat with my hands as well as spoon.
    depends on my mood and the food:cheer::cheer:
     
  9. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Answering just to satisfy the curiosity : ) for me, it is not about eating rice with hands, it is rice that is mixed with very liquid-y thing, such as rasam. Something about the fingers dipping into liquid-y food before it goes into the mouth, can put off people not used to it. If the person is eating seated on the floor, then, the distance from food plate or food leaf to mouth is even more, and the arm can go from -45 degrees to +45 degrees at a swift speed in 3 seconds, increasing the chances of the liquid trailing down the fore-arm. The sight of rasam or other liquid forming a trail on the fore-arm, be it the hairy fore-arm of a gent, or the bangles adorned one of a lady, it can disgust some people.

    I used to squeeze soaked tamarind with finger tips, like I saw my mother and aunts do for decades. My child once said 'yuck'. I switched to using the back of a big spoon.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2017
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  10. Umanga

    Umanga Gold IL'ite

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    I could not have put it better myself.
     
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