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Fast/feast

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Balajee, Mar 28, 2023.

  1. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    What is the difference between fasting and feasting? Just the letter E .

    ''tis season to fas, It is time for so many fasts that it bewilders me , who never understood the word FAST unless suffixed with FOOD. Ramzan, Navaratra, Lent you name it, it is time for fasting.

    Once I naively thought fasting meant staying away from food. I was (mis)guided by all those politicians who went on fast unto death and emerged a few kilos heavier. After Mahatma Gandhi who took his fasts quite seriously, it has become something of a joke, these political fasts. It One such fasting guy was once caught feasting on biryani. Others might have done that too, to end it all with a glass of orange juice to digest the heavy stuff.

    Religious fasting days are at least more open. You are actually allowed to EAT! As long as you follow crtain Thou Shalt Not of course. Take Navratra fasts. People actually gain a lot of weight during the period because there is food that is not food with which you can stuff yourself upto the gills,

    Rice and wheat and lentils are food. No problem my dear! substitute them with buckwheat or chesnut flour. Make ghee laden paranthas or puris out of them . Voila! it is time to party! Thie diary rich meal is washed down with halwa or kheer.

    This reminds me of my mother's vaikuntha Ekadashi fast , Fast here is jusst printer's devil for feast. Rice was taboo. So what? There's wheat. We god ghee laden methi (fenugreek) parathas of potato stuffed one. instead of the usual Sambhar , rice and rasam. Later my ever inventive mom discovered (invented?) a loophole in the scriptures, While rice is taboo, if you roast the rice, taboo gets evaporated in the heat, And sigh, we were back to boring south Indian fare even on Ekadashi.

    And lent fasting means for Christians staying away from meat. This means mutton , chicken, beef pork etc but not Fish. During the period marine life gets seriously endangered.At least those keeping Ramzan fast are a little more serious about it., not touching food or water between sunrise and sunset, Oh . never mind the pre-sunrise and post-sunset gourmandizing. You see, there is always a party during fasts cutting across religious spectrum.

    So yousee, fasting includes feasting , Only thr E is invisible in the former. but excess of latter could become a war against your alimentary canal and could lead to you being forced to be on a fasting routine, without the invisible E.
     
  2. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    I enjoyed reading this humorous post. Fast reminds me many of my old posts the chief being
    A Date With Ekadasi Vradham(fast)
    I agree in fast there is an element of invisible feast. While rice cooked or boiled items are bane and banned in fast but as palagaram like dosa and idli any number can be permitted to consume during dinner time.
    Once I was invited for a feast. When I reached invitee's home at shivri, I realised s/he belongs to Fisher-folk speaking marathi. Guests sat squat on floor in front of stitched-leaves on which a foot size silver-grey fish annointed with masala was served. I just stood up politely excused telling I am very-veg.
    I returned home in great hurry as I was feeling terribly hungry: rice scarcity and weekly staggered holiday for shops and hotels and there was nothing readily available at home to fill my stomach. It turned out to be day of an unplanned fast.
    My friend saw me sick and cold. He advised starve the fever and stuff the cold.
     
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  3. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Balajee,

    A new concept called intermittant fasting introduced for well-being of the humanity. Some decide not to take food from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. while others practice it from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. The idea is the cholostrol that is saved in our stomach will be used as carb if we don't eat for a prolonged period of time to release energy needed. Night fasting doesn't help as we are not active during the night.

    Of all the fasting, Ramadhan fasting makes sense as it is practiced for 45 days that too during the presence of the Sun. It is not optional and hence the entire Muslim brotherhood practice it regularly every year. It brings some discipline in life. "e" in feasting when eliminated, does a lot of good for the system.

    Remember the days when we were all raised, how mothers used to give us Castor Oil first thing the morning to clean up our intestine once a quarter and not give food until after 2 p.m. Detoxing the lever is much talked about subject nowadays.
     
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  4. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    I know only one meaning of Fast and that is quick before someone else does that. It may be taking a seat at the dining table, fast or no fast as long as it is a feast.
     
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  5. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Also in between meals every one is fasting & every morning they break the night-fast and thatz why it is known as break fast.
    I think a feast in front or in your focus had triggered to think of its antonym and that resulted in this post/ thread.
    Regards.
     
  6. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Fasting supposedly brings one 'punya'. Going by that, we are all 'punyatmas'. How many meals have we consumed with rice? So go ahead and sin. Eat chappatis to wash them away! :-D
     
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  7. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    Yes Satchi, first we can F(e)ast and then take a "holy dip" in a polluted river to acquire punya and become punyavans.
     
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  8. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    Do you get furious Hariji, if you are not fast enough? The only fast understand is when it prefixes food. This should not be confused with food eaten during fasts, As for being fast to the dining table, once an interviewer asked an obscenely obese public personality about his fitness routine. "Running" came the reply. He explain to the puzzled journo: "I run to the dining room when the food is ready".
     
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  9. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    It was just humor. I do not get angry and even if I do, I do not express it. I wait for my chance to sit at the dining table and in most cases, I am offered a seat before others sit, maybe because of my age and seniority.
    I fasted (Nirjala- not even water) every Tuesday for almost 25 years and there was no feast at the dinner table also. I had to stop it because some medicines were not advised on an empty stomach.
    Now I go for a good breakfast, light lunch, and lighter dinner.
     
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  10. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    :hello: I was one of the guests. We and friend’s dad sat around the dining table.
    On banana leaf items one by one served. None of us touched or tasted any item. After the fifteenth item - white rice - served, we all did oblation and began eating.

    Friend’s dad-leaf contained in one corner only four different shaped and coloured tablet/ capsule and no other item served on his leaf.
    When enquired, this dad was telling us that he was observing fast.

    A feast and fast battle began!
     
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