HINDU BEEF EATERS OF KERALA

In 1994, I went to Trivandrum on an assignment.  It was my FIRST visit to Kerala and I did not know anyone at Trivandrum or Kerala.  The Tourism Department guide at the airport, advised me to stay at Hotel Chaithram, which is near the railway station.

When I went to restaurant to eat something, I saw food items beef chilly, beef fry, beef curry etc on the menu.  I thought as Trivandrum was getting visitors from all over the world and Chaithram was a government hotel, so they must be acting cosmopolitan and therefore serving beef preparations.

A Hindu temple in Kerala

I had to be at Trivandrum for 4-5 days and therefore visited many places in the city.  I noted beef was served in nearly all the restaurants in city and also the food shacks at Kovalam Beach.

I was told that everyone, including the Hindus ate beef in many parts of Kerala.  I was greatly surprised as I had noticed Kerala Hindus to be quite devout.  One had to remove shirt and also wear a dhoti to enter Padmanabhswami temple at Trivandrum.  I could not go inside that temple as I was not carrying a dhoti with me.   

 

 A Hindu couple from Kerala

 

My work  took me to Trivandrum and a few other places in South Kerala for many years. At Trivandrum, I used to stay in Hotel Residency Towers which was adjacent to Secretariat.  There two food vans used to sell Beef Chilly and a plate was priced only 12 rupees during those days.  These vans were very popular with secretariat employees most of whom seemed to be Hindus as seen from the TILAK on their foreheads.

Visitors to Hindu temples in Kerala

I have not visited Kerala for the past 10-12 years.  But I am told that beef is still served in restaurants there like before.

What do you say about this situation?

Will beef be banned in Kerala on the same grounds on which it has been done in Gujrat?