Veganism Is A “Western” Concept: Being Vegan in India

Have you ever been told that being vegan in India is a “western” concept and that it does not suit or apply to the Indian lifestyle? When asked for his views, a friend of mine, Sailender, who is an avid traveler and conducts sessions on leading an eco-friendly, vegan, and natural lifestyle, said:

I travel around India and have encountered many tribal communities who never touched animal products. It is simply their way of life. When asked, they say cow’s milk is for the calves; they are considered as family and they all co-exist harmoniously.”

Rightly stated by my friend, and to add to it, there are several vegans in India who did not learn about the concept through social media. They had an epiphany at some point that contributing to the exploitation of non-human animals is immoral and inconsistent with other worldviews on justice and peace.

While veganism as a lifestyle has certainly not always existed in India, there is sufficient indication that it is in line with the Indian ethos. This essay elaborates on the various reasons why it makes perfect sense for Indians to be vegan.

Ahimsa, Selective Compassion, and Veganism

It is no news that “ahimsa” is a word in Sanskrit that simply means non-violence towards all living beings. Ahimsa is not just a word but also an ancient Indian principle for living life. In fact, we all constantly strive to be ahinsak (non-violent) towards others and lead a compassionate life. Living up to this soul-filling principle, it is only reasonable to be vegan in India.

But the problem is, owing to thousands of years of conditioning, our compassion has become selective. One of the outcomes of selective compassion is that animals have become “commodities,” in our collective psyche. We have become oblivious of the fact that animals are sentient beings, capable of suffering physically and emotionally.

There has been further segmentation of our compassion – conditioning has taught us to be selectively compassionate towards some species of animals. The massive nationwide uproar against the gruesome acts against Saumya (the elephant) and April (the dog) confirms this fact. We are compassionate beings, hence we connected to their pain; however, we are unable to connect to the suffering of the lakhs of chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, fishes, buffaloes, cows, and other animals slaughtered every single day for their flesh and secretions. Similarly, we don’t connect to the helplessness of the thousands of animals used and tortured in laboratories and for entertainment.

Social Justice and Veganism

When we speak about veganism, we refer to a lifestyle built on the foundation of social justice. In the case of the different forms of discrimination among human animals, we don’t think twice before applying the principles of justice. Some of the major human social justice movements have had their roots in western countries. Living in India, we have nevertheless embraced them. That’s because we know deep down that justice knows no nationality and is uniform in its necessity to be implemented. The methods of causing suffering to non-human animals may differ across cultures and countries, but the animals’ ability to feel pain and experience suffering is consistent across the world. By exploiting them, we deprive them of their basic rights to safety and freedom.

Globalization and Veganism

For a country that is adapting to outside influences at a rapid rate, why is incorporating a good concept unwelcomed? Indians have integrated influences when it comes to using cell phones, outfits, and some (not so good) habits, without questioning. Clearly, we selectively pick influences from the developments in the West. When it comes to veganism, we refuse to question our indoctrination and dismiss the concept as “western.”

If we remove national boundaries out of the equation, we will realize that veganism is and has always been about doing the right thing – not attaching a commodity status to non-human animals.

Traditional Beliefs About Dairy and Veganism

One of the most commonly asked questions in India when discussing cruelty in modern dairy practices is, “But Lord Krishna drank milk and ate butter, so shouldn’t we follow his footsteps?” Firstly, suppose we agree that Lord Krishna drank the milk of the cows, the scriptures indicate that they were considered as family. The modern-day horrific dairy practices were non-existent.

Secondly, the concepts of social justice and animal rights were also non-existent back then. Questions such as, can the cow give her “consent” to the act of taking milk from her were absent. Can humans claim “entitlement” over her milk, was absent. Finally, there may not have been factors such as environmental sustainability or severe resource scarcity to consider.

Therefore, considering a vegan lifestyle in the modern-day should not put us in a state of self-doubt. Rather, it should help us open ourselves to a whole new world of abundance. It isn’t about what we do not or cannot use, but is about ALL that we CAN use.

Indian Food and Veganism

Traditional Indian cuisine is super vegan-friendly. Every part of India has a bunch of items as a part of their staple food that is vegan. When asked if there exist any vegan-by-default dishes in Manipur, my friend and ex-colleague, Chingkhei, said:

Most people think we heavily consume and rely on meat in the North-East. Contrary to that opinion, there is a plethora of vegan food available in our cuisine along with many unique herbs and vegetables available only in North-East.”

She was not kidding as she enthusiastically listed a few of such dishes!! The dish Paangkhoklaa Uti made of Colocasia leaves and rice is a delicacy in Manipur and is vegan by default. Similarly, Maharashtra’s Poha; South India’s Coconut Milk Payasam, Idly-Sambar; Gujarat’s Thepla; North India’s Dal-Chawal and Roti-Sabzi are all vegan! Get the drift!? These, along with many more preparations across India, aren’t exotic products – only available off the shelf of a supermarket, but have very much existed for centuries!

Summary: Veganism is a “Western” Concept – Being Vegan in India

Finding reasons to be vegan instead of finding reasons to not be one will make veganism completely reasonable. Causing emotional trauma and physical abuse to animals is a part of animal exploiting industries. Why should the myth of a mere geographical boundary cause us to support animal exploiting industries? As a country, we have taken strides to shun various forms of injustice such as casteism, homophobia, gender violence, and so on. One can make several excuses for not being vegan in India. But the reason that it is a “western” concept, is not (at least no longer) valid, is it? If someone uses that as an excuse next time, you know what questions to ask 🙂

About the author, Sowmya Lakshmi

“I have been vegan since 2013 and it originated from my love for animals as I could no longer make sense of the disconnect between my love for them on one hand and my actions that were contributing to their harm on the other hand. I eventually decided to take it upon myself to spread the message of veganism as widely as possible as I realized that veganism paves the way to animal liberation.”

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