E.R. RAMACHANDRAN writes: Ajji was reading Prajavani keeping the paper close to her eyeballs. I was about to ask her to keep the paper slightly away when she threw it down.
“Ajji, What happened? Didn’t like what you read?”
“Alvo, Ramu. If children eat koli motte, won’t it strengthen their bones and improve overall health?”
“That’s what studies have shown. Also, it’s one more way we can keep the poor and rich children at same uniform nutritional levels.”
“It’s not enough they wear same uniform dress to keep equality in the class. Why can’t the poorer children get better food, which they can’t get at home, so that they too can grow stronger physically and mentally?”
“Ajji! It appears it is being made in to a religious issue. That’s why the government has dropped the idea.”
“Relgus gerlus sareenappa! We should keep it within our homes! If scientists have proved an egg a day is good for overall development for a child, why are these eggheads interfering in the affairs of the State! Isn’t the welfare of a child more important than any other belief, even if it is right? At this rate, somebody may want the departure time of 1100 hrs of Tipu Express to Bangalore on Fridays be changed, as it is falls during Rahukala period! Should the Government accept that too? It’s a sad day if it buckles under pressure of this sort.”
“Howdajji!”
“Children should get poushtika ahaara, especially the poorer lot. Can they get dry fruits like badami, godambi, kharjura as some of these people who object have, every now and then as prasada? It’s perfectly all right for people to practice their faith in privacy, but they cannot force it on others and the Govt. It’s a shame, really.”
“Ajji, by the way…. How is your cold now?”
“Much better! The wretched cold and cough won’t leave me for more than three weeks. Every kashaya I tried didn’t work. ‘Shivane, innu nanna kathe mugeethu ankotha idde! Your medicine worked for me like Ramabana.”
“Ajji! I was scared too. Finally, I thought I would give some foreign Kashaya. One spoon of that with milk for two days did wonders for you.”
“It really worked! Two days of uninterrupted sleep drove the cold away. Yava Aushadino adu?”
“Foreign kashaya Ajji! One spoon of brandy!”
“Manehala! You gave me brandhi ?”
“Ajji! Look at this way. You tried whatever you knew. When the cold wouldn’t go away and you were coughing nonstop, I was worried and gave you whatever I knew and it worked. There is no point in being bullheaded on each and every issue. So it is with an-egg-a-day-for-a-child policy which can benefit millions of our children.”
“One more thing. Our neighbour Subbamma told me—it seems to keep apples and grapes fresh, vendors sometimes spray chemicals on them, which are more harmful. Koli motte has at least a protective outer covering.”
“Howdajji.”
“Ramu. Innondu maathu. ‘Makkale Devaru.’ Avarannu arogyavagi, buddhivantharagi belsuvudakkintha, manushyanige bere yava dharma doddado?”
“Nija Ajji.”
E.R.R., you made me smile, as you often to. I agree that faith is a private matter, and that eggs may be healthy.
But I disagree with Ajji’s logic. Fish may be healthy too, and chicken, beef and pork as well. So should we mandatorily serve those foods too?
What about our vegetarian kids? What about families that believe in vegetarianism for reasons of compassion, preference, or for that matter, health?
I believe most Indians, of any community, are vegetarian for most of the time. The government has no business to force unacceptable foods on vulnerable school kids.
Nutritionists remind us again and again that there is no need for eggs in a rounded diet, given the numerous sources of protein, lipids, vitamin A and minerals available in other cruelty-free foods. Many of the world’s healthiest and smartest people, not surprisingly many of whom are from India, are vegetarian.
If anything, the government needs to promote vegetarianism as a social good, of course, with apologies to dear Ajji.
Why should Govt promote vegetarianism ?
“Many of the world’s healthiest and smartest people, not surprisingly many of
whom are from India, are vegetarian.” who said so??
There are Brilliant people around the WORLD who were/are non vegetarians.
Japanese who live for long healthy are not vegetarians
yellru avara moogu nerakke maathad thare …Jaathi yella mange oLgade yittkolli ..Motte thinolla annovru thinnodhu beda ..
naavu yibbru thinolla adhikke yinnu 10 jana thinnabardhu annodhu thappu
‘HUTTU GUNA SUTTRU HOGOLLA’
yenae Odhi …yaavdhe desha thirgi…Kireeta galiskondru .
Maadodhu Anachara Mane Mundhe Brindvana
More importantly, what about the hens? Anyone who has seen how chickens and hens are kept, raised and fed, in order for them to be egg and meat producing machines will reject this inhumanity.
Quizman, I agree. Mandatorily serving eggs in school interferes with the individual’s choice of food in an unacceptable way. But more importantly, it cultivates a culture of inhumanity among captive consumers, the school kids.
quizman, nikhil moro, i agree with both of you, with respect to the conditions in which they are raised. vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism, these are just practises which were devleoped. and talking about geniuses born into each category, can we really make a suitable list?
if it is in the interest of the public? why not?
on the other hand, providing eggs does not appear as a good suggestion. it’s difficult for one to distinguish between good and spoilt eggs, not that good milk is provided always….
‘Oota thannichhe nota parara icche’ antha gadene idhe why should the govt or somebody else should decide whether the child has to eat egg or not. If we want give motte for the sake of protein then it must be soya not motte because soya is the richest source of protein.
When we ask children to wear uniform to avoid discrimination why shuld it be in the meal ? nivu nodi navu thinnutheve anno attitude yake makkalige belasabeku? Their are people who are inspite of non-vegetarian doesn’t like Eggs what abot them?
And Mr prakash there are both vegitarian and non-vegetarians who are intelligent and lived longer for that u need not target vegetarians saying huttu guna suttaru hogolla
The following are the important points
a) THere has to be uniformity with childern
b) Children are not able to decide for themselves
c) Children are to be brought up according to wishes of their parents – their beliefes
Assuming children can make sound decision is scientifically wrong so ideally good is to choose a common denominator which does not hurt all the above points.
Govt can distribute ( have another scam) eggs in private. FULL STOP
Chinakuruli…thats precisely what Prakash was driving the point.
Eating egg or meat doesnt make anyone less intelligence .Intelligence can be found in all possible populations or in east or west .
If learned people start arguing that ‘More intelligent people are vegetarians and esp. from India’ ..hard to digest ..I just had a steak.
Did you also know that there are more Non-vegetarians in South India than North India??( According to CNN-IBN)
Vegetarians are only fraction of population.
Govt should give both egg and milk and kids can choose either based on their dietary options .
B.T.W I heard a price/KG of meat has gone through the roof after people
started cooking and consuming in secracy at home .
Govt should give both egg and milk and kids can choose either based on their dietary options .
Actually, they should give whiskey. As T. P. Kailasam said; “I don’t drink milk – it is liquid beef. I am a vegetarian. Therefore, I drink whiskey.”
Kanditha..
manenalli nimma makkalige Kodi Whiskey
Amele Govtge recommend maadona .
DG Avare Chennagi Heliddhri
TP Kailasm andha haagey, “Makkaligey Whiskey Maneylalway’ antha namma Quizman avaru thamma kandagaligey kantapana madisli bidi
I truly think Nikhil moro’s comments were misinterpreted. He said it is true that many of the world’s intelligent people are vegetarian to argue that there is no need to give eggs to school children on a assumption that they require it. I agree that Karnataka Govt should not exploit the children to cater to the poultry industry. I also agree with Chinakurali that soya is a better protein so it is a better food to give even if we accept the Govt’s healthiness argument. Prakash, u’r post is not sensible, please mind it.
PS: I am hard core non-veg, especially in jokes. :P
Well written piece.
This seems to be the egg lobby that is working now. Few poultry farm owners would want to push the eggs to the Govt. Giving eggs may be a good proposition if the kids are willing to eat. But who is going to monitor the quality of these eggs. In what form will the eggs be given – raw, half boiled, masala omlette…? The chances of infection with spoilt or even raw eggs are more than in any other food that is now being given to the kids. If there is no mechanism to check the quality of eggs, then better shelve the idea.
Prakash/DG – you two seem to be trying to toe the discussion in a different direction with your closing remarks. Totally irrelevant.
DG and prakash why both of u are trying to target particular group of people telling they eat meat secretly. See what u do at ur home is ur personel thing but people do follow certain norms when they are in public. so Think of a vegetarian child’s plight when he has to eat egg in public if eat he will definetly get the remarks that belonging certain catagory of society he is eating the egg and if he doesn’t eat then he is deprived of the previlege so why should we give things which can create discriminations
See when u agree vegetarianism doesn’t make any difference in intelligence then why u fight on the issue? it is definetly egg lobby which is working behind this
Dear all, Edanna cm@kar.nic.in ge e mail maadiddine. nodona!
Egg lobby gintha..yillae ondhu shaakahaarigaLa okkoota yidhe.
DG nimage Shakaharigalu andare allergyna? Motte bari ahara aagi ashte alla social behaviour melu parinama biruthe adakke adannu kodabaradu antha helutha iddeve ashte ofcourse shakahara promote madidare thappu illa annisuthe .
More over if Govt wants to give egg they will definetly loose the supports of the organisations who are looking after the mid- day meal in many places. Yes Mathas and ISKCON etc., Govt has to take decisions taking people into confidence after all we live in democracy Which is of the people by the people and for the people
The short story is in bad taste. author is not only trying to prove that it is not wrong in taking eggs but also justifies drinks, that too for an old lady. Is this a joke. This is just apeing west/communist who just loughs at anything which they think is Brahmanism.
I am a pure vegan, I am fine I am Healthy, physically, mentally and SPIRITUALLY