“There was no anger. I just wanted to tell my story,” says ex-government officer Shahu Patole at the 2025 Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF). The remark is simple yet complex, as he delves into ‘Dalit food’, which isn’t documented well but is a distinct mix of vegetarianism as well as beef - he is one of them -that makes his meal increasingly “political”. But his food is fast disappearing.
"It’s we, the Dalits, who are causing the disappearance of our food. It’s because we want to feel superior, that we dissociate from our own food," he tells THE WEEK.
But Patole has taken it upon himself to remind readers of the journey of the Dalit food through the culinary practices of two Maharashtrian communities -- Mahar and Mang.
“Much is written about the food of Marathwada, but our food is missing. They write about puran poli and poha, but that’s not a Dalit’s food,” he emphasises.
While geography – the landscape and climate – along with other factors such as class, influence how the culinary tradition is shaped, Patole’s book, initially published in Marathi as ‘Anna He Apoorna Brahma’ and recently translated into English by Bhushan Korgaonkar, is a refreshing take on how caste has shaped food, a deep impact that remains largely undocumented.
“Even to this day, I don’t like the smell of ghee,” Patole says at the session discussing the ‘Recipes of a Dalit Kitchen’, reflecting on how Dalit plate was long devoid of ghee, oil, and even milk. “Instead of ghee, we use animal fat,” he says.
The book documents recipes for blood, bones, beef, birds, etc – making it a page-turner. On the understanding of ‘you are what you eat,’ Patole talks about violent vegetarianism, saying, “Just look at what the Satvik-eaters are doing.”
In a conversation with THE WEEK, the writer talks about the intent behind the book, what it means to him, and its reception in English vis-a-vis Marathi.
Edited excerpts:
Q: What was the intent behind writing this book? Was it anger, dissent, or documenting your heritage?
A: There was no anger. I just wanted to tell my story. There was much written about the food of Marathwada, but we were absent from the discourse.
They write about puran poli and poha. It’s not our food. Don’t call it the Marathwada food, but that of the upper caste.
Q: Since the Dalit food isn’t documented well, is it also disappearing?
A: It’s we, the Dalits, who are causing the disappearance of our food. It’s because we want to feel superior, that we dissociate from our own food.
Q: You say your food isn’t documented anywhere. Did it make your research for the book difficult?
A: There was no research, none was needed. The entire book has been shaped by my own lived experiences.
Q: Who is the book intended for: the Dalits, those from the upper caste, or anyone else?
A: It’s intended for the next generation, from my children, who don’t even know what their father used to eat because there’s so much shame and stigma associated with our food.
Q: Your book was published in Marathi and has been now translated into English. Was there a difference in their reception?
A: My book was a joke for the Marathi people. They didn’t take it seriously. Now in English, the joke is being taken seriously.