Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle that strives to exclude the use of any animal product for nourishment or for any other purpose. Vegans are different from vegetarians in the sense that they do not consume eggs, dairy products, honey and gelatin. They do not use silk, wool, leather, beeswax and the like. They believe that humans exploit animals in the name of domestication and that animal farming is hazardous to the environment.
What makes vegans practice this rigorous lifestyle? 23-year-old Arun, who works in the IT sector asks, “Why not veganism? If you care about issues like animal exploitation, environment and your health then veganism is the way to go. A well-planned vegan diet is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain forms of cancer and diabetes. Besides, your actions help shape the world. It is a conscious choice I made in order to be compassionate to animals and the environment. It is a matter of ideals and conviction.”
In certain elitist circles it is considered ‘hip’ to be a vegan. Celebrities vegans like Maneka Gandhi, Paul Mc Cartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bryan Adams, Alicia Silverstone, Pamela Anderson have helped popularise vegan lifestyle. However, the average Indian still views veganism as an aberration.
Speaking to a few vegans in the City, one realises that all is not hunky dory for them. Seema, who has been a vegan for two years says, “when I tell people that I am a vegan, they look at me as though I am an alien.
Considering there are so many vegetarians in India, one would expect people to understand the concept of avoiding cruelty better. Nevertheless, my commitment to the cause is greater than my fear of becoming a social pariah. But, my family is supportive and that matters a lot.”
“For a vegan, finding a suitable life partner is the greatest hurdle. What people do not understand is that vegans and non-vegans can co-habit with a few compromises,” expresses Santosh, a software engineer who is married to Sunita, a non-vegan.
“The biggest problem when a vegan and non-vegan marry is the issue of how children are to be raised. Luckily for me, my husband does not insist that our kids be raised vegans. He believes that when they are old enough they should choose for themselves,” says Sunita.
Considering the fact that tens of billions of animals are killed every year for human purposes, perhaps veganism is not that preposterous an idea.
“It is indeed a very simple equation. If you take care of nature, nature will take care of you,” proclaims Manish Jain, an active member of the Indian Vegan Group.
