National Museum cites ‘tradition’ for excluding non-veg dishes from Harappan food event

The exhibition, titled ‘Historical Gastronomica: the Harappan Dining Experience’ and hosted by the National Museum, started on Wednesday and is scheduled to go on till February 25

A view of the National Museum in New Delhi.

National Museum officials said on Thursday that the tasting menu and dinners that are a part of the ongoing exhibition on Indus Valley food would not include non-vegetarian dishes as it was a “tradition” to serve only vegetarian food at events in the museum.

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The exhibition, titled ‘Historical Gastronomica: the Harappan Dining Experience’ and hosted by the National Museum, started on Wednesday and is scheduled to go on till February 25. A private company, One Station Million Stories (OSMS), had organised the exhibition and the tasting menu inspired by the food of the Indus Valley civilisation. While an “indicative menu” on the company’s website included meat dishes on the tasting menu and dinner menu, only vegetarian dishes would be served, National Museum Additional Director General Subrata Nath said on Thursday.

“It is our tradition to have only vegetarian dishes. We have visitors who come to see Buddhist works and other religious idols. Recently, we had an exhibition on Guru Nanak and the food stalls put up for it also served only vegetarian food. The company had made its own menu and we had not approved non-vegetarian dishes as it was not discussed with us. We had informed them a day before the exhibition started to serve vegetarian food only,” said Mr. Nath.

Somi Chatterjee, a director at OSMS, who is conducting the food walks as a part of the event, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The dishes featured on the menu curated by chef Sabyasachi Gorai, which remained on the company’s website as of Thursday evening, included meat fat soup and fish in turmeric stew.