Food for Thought

अन्न हे परब्रह्म.... In our life, food plays a vital role. Every one on Earth requires food for survival. Others eat to live..... But our Human Brain...controls our Taste Buds. The Thinking Brain develops desires,cravings. It teaches us to visualize food,Smell the food,and savour the food. We develop Aroma,Presentations and Culinary innovations of the Food to be placed in front of us. This gift of Savoring Food,Developing Tadte Buds,Eating Habits,Cooking styles,Food preferences...is not inbuilt.....is not there at birth. It gradually seeps ,soaks,grows into us.... The environment around us... The food we are fed by our caregivers.... Later our personalities ... Later our Medical and Physical conditions.... Our Food depends on so many aspects and so do our preferences and habits. Food.....any food....is never bad.... Food if prepared with love and affection....even simple Jeera Tadka....and Plain Dal....is Divine. But if prepared with Disinterest and Lethargy....even an Exotic dish with the best of ingredients....turns unpalatable. Food is energetic. Food is memory. As we grow.....each dish....reminds us of a person, place or incident. Simple Kairi with salt and Red Chilli powder.....reminds of our summer holidays spent with cousins and friends. Food reminisces us of those beautiful childhood. Food reminds us of the loving morsel fed by our Ajji and Aai. The smell of her hand as she fed us that Curds Rice during Exam Days.... Food is Therapeutic. In days of stress,sorrow,disappointment and pain......Food is the one which helps us to remain calm. Whether we eat to live.... Whether we Love to eat...... Food is an important part of our life. I do feel amused with comments " I don't like to eat"....." I hate Food"...... How can anyone have such negative feelings towards something which nourishes our body and relevant for our survival....????? One may not cook ..... But how can one not eat????? This Gastronomic Equation somehow can never be solved. Food doesn't harm .It needs to be taken in moderation. Food shouldn't be indulged..... It can be craved.... Remember Pavlov's Reflex....about the salivating Dog. Just the thought brings us appetite. Food is God. Worship it. Respect it. Food must never be wasted. The world is full of hungry people....many due to Poverty.... Some due to Restrictions..... Some due to greed....they are ever hungry.no satiety. The day.....this Hunger for Food...gets resolved....there will be a Happy World. Let's pray for Divinity of Food.... Let everyone be blessed with Food. Dr Tripti Milind Galgali Hubli.