Ather Energy’s chapati becomes an accompaniment to the veg or non-veg debate, Ather, Chapathi, Chapathi, Chappati, Onam Sadya, Sadhya, Onasadya, Kerala Onam 2024, Ather Energy

Recently, Tarun S. Mehta, CEO of Ather Energy, an electric scooter manufacturer, shared pictures of Onam celebrations at his office. One of the photos showed a chapati on a banana leaf, which is traditionally used for the Onam sadya. Several Malayalis on X reacted and criticised the inclusion of chapati as it is not traditionally a part of the sadya. Some users also found that the meal seemed to have fewer dishes than expected. Others opined that while it is fine if they enjoy a meal on a banana leaf, it should not be called a sadya. Many felt this was a cultural misrepresentation and some felt it reflected an imposition of North Indian culture on a South Indian festival. Meanwhile, some netizens supported the inclusion of chapati.

Ather Energy was forced to issue a statement on the matter. The company said chapati was an option for colleagues who respect personal choices. “Fortunately, no Malayalee was injured in this incident… All the food at Sadya was prepared by Malayalee chefs at a facility in Bengaluru and served by Malayalee colleagues,” it said.

Interestingly, the clarification ended on a humorous note: “We would like to admit that a few extra papadams were damaged while being enjoyed with payasam. This was a rare mistake on our part and we have since conducted numerous cultural sensitivity workshops to prevent such incidents,” it said.

Paradox of the debate on Onam Sadya

Culinary anthropologist and chef Oneal Sabu believes that Malayalis need not feel offended by the inclusion of chapati. “It was a sadya in a private space. Since it is a corporate office, people come from different states. Many may not find the dishes in the sadya to their taste or preference. So there is nothing wrong in including chapati.”

“We need not condone the comments and reactions of netizens who find chapati in a sadya odd. Instead, we need to appreciate the efforts and acceptance of people who were willing to host in another state,” he said.

He, however, criticised chefs and restaurant brands who take advantage of customers’ ignorance by offering their own version of traditional sadya which is devoid of any tradition. “Why blame others? Even in our domestic sadya, we have cabbage thoran. Who doesn’t know that cabbage was not a traditional vegetable in Kerala? Sadya is evolving and is bound to reflect factors like area of ​​cultivation, cost and perishability.” He also pointed out that some people derive caste pride and religiosity by branding Onam as a Hindu festival despite it being a harvest festival. “There are PR companies who do this deliberately,” he added.

Dr Deepa G, an assistant professor of history at CAS College, Kannur, who wrote her doctoral thesis on the politics of food in colonial Malabar, explained the paradox in sadya identity formation. According to Deepa, the word sadya became part of the mainstream narrative after it appeared in the culinary literature of the kingdom of Travancore. “If we look back in history, we can see that Tamil Brahmins were brought here to cook and the dishes have non-indigenous roots. Even sambar, which dominates sadya in Kerala today, has its origins in the kitchens of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu,” she said.

Similarly, Sadya was once restricted to Brahminical circles and seclusion was one of the core ideas it subtly propagated, she pointed out. “Sadya was ritualistic and maintained class-caste distinctions to uphold the constructs of purity and prestige. We can see that there were different panthis (rows where food was served) based on caste and class differences. Pappadam was a luxury then and only a special class was allowed to enjoy it,” she added.

According to Deepa, the contemporary vegetarian cult of sadya is another format through which Onam becomes a ritual. “Contemporary media representation has also normalised the notion that sadya is inherently vegetarian. However, Onam is a harvest festival and a harvest can include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian produce,” she said.