KOZHIKODE: Pained by the “unwanted” controversy over the veg-only menu of the Kerala School Arts Festival, Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, who served food at the fest for the past 16 years, decided to call it quits on Sunday.
“Supervising a massive kitchen for events like the kalolsavam (arts fest) is no longer my favourite activity. I am tired. I won’t be able to cook for the fest anymore,” the culinary expert told reporters before leaving Kozhikode where the fest was held.
More than 40,000 people were served food three times a day during the state-level event that concluded on Saturday. Pazhayidom said though he was satisfied at having done his duty without flaws, he was returning home with a heavy heart.
“Even in the matter of serving food, the unwanted poison of communal hatred was mixed. These unwanted controversies have made me scared of cooking for such a massive event,” he said. “Use of words like ‘brahmanical hegemony’, which I have never heard or experienced in my life, is all what the kalolsavam has offered me this time,” Pazhayidom said.
The serving of only vegetarian food at the arts fest had kicked up a debate on whether non-vegetarian dishes should be added to its menu. Responding to demands of expanding the menu, General Education Minister V Sivankutty last week announced non-vegetarian dishes will be included in the menu of the next arts fest.
‘Row gave religious colour to my work’
Pazhayidom said he never insisted on serving vegetarian dishes. “It is the government’s decision. I am just a tool. So, targeting me in the row scares me,” he said. “I would have happily accepted the controversies were they about the quality of food.
However, they gave a religious colour to what I do,” he said. Pazhayidom has also decided to stay away from the South India Science Fair which would be held in Thrissur from January 26 to 31. Speaking to TNIE at the fest venue last week, Pazhayidom had said people creating such controversies must also know about the practical difficulties in serving non-vegetarian dishes to a large number of participants.
“For over half a decade I have been serving non-vegetarian food at sports meets. I was never hesitant to take up the job citing my religion or caste. When it comes to serving food, all are alike for us,” he had said.