How food festivals are rescuing regional New Year traditions

Kolkata: There was a time, rather recently when F&B brands took advantage of traditions to grow their business. Nowadays, however, it would be fair to say that traditions are being rescued by food festivals, in more ways than simply digestive.

This is of course a peak weekend for regional celebrations, as we witness the convergence of many a New Year - Baisakhi, Bihu, Vishu, Pohela Boishakh & Puthandu in the Northern, Eastern and Southern parts of the country. While the rituals vary by state, there is a compelling unifier in terms of community dining, with tables shaped by dishes from the recipes across time. But the passage of time has also proved another important difference - the tables are increasingly out of home and prepared caringly in commercial establishments, with the target audience being bona fide insiders and not inquisitive outsiders.

The first piece of evidence is the plethora of newspaper ads and digital promotions of such food festivals. In Calcutta, the repertoire of late has been strengthened by Bangladeshi fare, with genuine articles like Nayana Afroz in Aaheli as well as faux versions like Taj Vivanta inviting the gourmet to experience under-exposed authenticity. In North India at large, a cursory glance will confirm the Baisakhi Food Festivals galore while the same is true for entrepreneurs in Kerala, hawking the traditional Sadhya with much fervour. The same is indeed true for hotels and restaurants in Guwahati and Chennai, sparing no rupee to hawk the taste of genuineness.

All of this would have been rather unusual even two decades ago with much of the festive fanfare being clinically home-based, just like Christmas in most parts of the universe. Most from my age cohort will have memories of strenuous home-cooked feasts in very exacting weather and ladies in the family unleashing their finest know-how. Then, of course, the traditional sit-down meal in a clinical sequence, with all dressed in comfortable finery. But then, rather rapidly, all of this changed seemingly for good, or arguably bad.

While seemingly a soft target, the real answer does not lie in the rise of nuclear families or women in urban workforces as both the metrics seem to have dipped post covid - many women opting out of full-time and elderly parents co-opted from enforced exile, to help in online classes for instance. There has however been a mindset change in the rigour of observing traditions, as we migrate from pure play ethnic identities to an integrated global existence - attire, jewellery and consumption of pop culture being a few visible demonstrations. For millennials and beyond, it means that tradition makes the most sense when consumed from a lens of universal credibility, which in this case means brands. Also, tradition is easier to digest when the grime of curation is removed from the equation and one can just focus on the experience - whether food, clothes or observance.

Thus a Pohela Baisak buffet in a restaurant becomes a convenient way to embrace tradition in its finely-marketed regalia and also an appropriate conduit to ensure continuity amongst the subsequent generations. Miniaturisation in terms of process but certainly not enjoyment, and frankly many have the money to afford the buffet without getting into the value dynamics of home cooking. Equally importantly, cooking traditional Indian fare is both time-consuming and painful with uncertain guarantees in outcomes - a false sleight of hand or an ill-advised spoon of salt offers scant opportunity for remission. On a connected note the professional cook cadre, often bestowed with cherished recipes, is now busy catering to multi-faceted household tastes on a routine basis - the pasta, chowmein and paneer masala leading to an erosion in orthodox skill sets.

Thus the onus of rescuing tradition falls squarely on brands in these dynamic yet complicated times and they are most certainly accepting the challenge with much aplomb. It is highly likely that food will continue to be the finest connector for the observance of traditions as it is relevant especially when rendered in contemporary formats, unlike much of operating symbolism. Equally valuable, tables can lead to cross-cultural experimentation, as we try what others have to offer, broadening our cultural integration. While the domain of traditional home cooking gets reduced to a niche, a bunch of craft-obsessed folks nurturing their passions.

On the retention of tradition, there must be a fine line of difference between authenticity and originality. Authenticity is the ability to build a perception of realness, increasingly verified by hearsay as old-timers are dwindling in numbers. Originality is in the understanding to render the same in a differentiated manner and this is far easier said than cooked. The best of traditional festive dining combines the best of both and the jury is certainly out online as well on the tables.