An essay, originally written c.2005 but slightly revised now (2013), examining the Indian vegetarian societies reported by the British vegetarian movement in the late-nineteenth century: providing some overview of the personnel, links to movements such as theosophy, journals and organisations.

Large-scale survey data are used to question the most public claims about food habits in India. It is found that the extent of overall vegetarianism is much less—and the extent of overall beef-eating much more—than suggested by common claims and stereotypes. The generalised characterisations of “India” are deepened by showing the immense variation of food habits across scale, space, group, class, and gender. Additionally, it is argued that the existence of considerable intra-group variation in almost every social group (caste, religious) makes essentialised group identities based on food practices deeply problematic. Finally, in a social climate where claims about food practices rationalise violence, cultural–political pressures shape reported and actual food habits. Indian food habits do not fit into neatly identifiable boxes.

In contemporary India, the negotiations and conflicts over the significations imparted to meat and to meat-eating have opened the way to new episodes of communal tension and violence. Arguably, the more meat it is accepted and commodified, the more it is also contested and politicized.

India has a reputation as a vegetarian nation, and Indians certainly consume far less meat than the global average. However, the view of India as a predominantly vegetarian nation may not be quite accurate. Studies show that vegetarianism in India is really only practiced by a minority, with figures ranging from approximately 25% to 40% of the population. Furthermore, factors like rising rates of urbanisation, increasing disposable incomes and cross-cultural influences are also contributing factors that are slowly changing the food habits of a nation. Read more here: https://theconversation.com/the-myth-of-a-vegetarian-india-102768

Changes in the incidence of vegetarianism across time are sought to be analysed by identifying the specific trends at the level of region,caste and class. Divergence in the attitude towards vegetarianism across these axes points towards deepening divides linked to socioeconomic status and cultural-political power inequalities.