Food Culture in British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -170

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -190

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1022

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

    

.       The work was so much that people used to go for agriculture work before down. They used to consume the night left food at that time or used to take night left over food at working place.

   The lunch was cooked  buttermilk curry (Palyo or Jhuli/Jholi), Bari ( finger millet flour cooked in water as solid loath), Millets (Jhangora, kauni) were common. Usully people take jhangora with vegetable curries.

 The people used to take dinner of finger millet, barley flour bread (roti) with vegetables as per season and badi ( water soaked pulse is grinded and the paste is dehydrated under sun).

  Prosperous families took rice and wheat too. Common people used to sow /crop wheat and paddy for paying tax in Garhwal and Gorkha rules. Since, productivity of wheat and paddy was less, people did not prefer sowing wheat and rice. Rice and wheat was cooked for guests and in festive time or marriage time. Maize, pumpkin,  came after British entered into Garhwal. Maize become a essential part of Garhwal with no time.

    In travel, people used to depend on sattu (roasted grain is grinded).

  Mostly, people depended on forest produces for vegetables, fruits and other food as yams, leaves, figs etc.

   All caste were non vegetarian in Garhwal with some exception. People 9still till date) used to roast the animal and then used to cook mutton. Mostly people did not take cow and buffalo mutton with exception. Mainly, lamb and goat were used for food. Wild animals were also killed for food. In botia region, people used to eat raw meat too.

    Country liquor was also consumed. People also took opium, hemp. In smoking, tobacco was common and people smoke through Hukka, Chilam and Patberi.

 Milk was essential part of every Garhwali. Milk selling was believed to be sin as selling the son. Milk, ghee, butter or butter milk were part of each meal. A Garhwali woul not think family without milk producing animal.

 Every house had honey bee-heaves for honey.

References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

2- Atkinson , Himalayn Districts Vol.3

3- Wiliamson, Memoir of Dehradun page 42

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 31/8/201710History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1023

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal;Dresses in British Garhwal.