Citing religious beliefs, AAP minister Satyendar Jain demands Jain food in jail. What does the diet comprise?

The plea also claimed that the minister is “a strict adherent of Jainism”, and that for the last six months, he has been “surviving only on fruits, vegetables, seeds and dry fruits or dates”.

What is Jain food and what kind of culinary discipline does it entail?

According to jainworld.com, being a vegetarian-food-based community that follows the principle of non-violence, Jains eat certain foods at certain times of the day, and completely stay away from other foods that are not a part of the religious beliefs and dictum.

Citing a book by Dr Hukam Chand Bharill, called ‘Vegetarian Food and Jain Conduct‘, the website states that Jain food items are centred on green-vegetables only, and that carrots, radishes, etc., along with tuber-root, brinjal, cabbages and all root-vegetables are “non-edibles”. The majority of the Jain community is vegetarian, but there is “some laxity”, such as “eating food at night and drinking of non-filtered water, and the eating of root-vegetables”.

Naturally, meat is regarded as ‘sinful’, and so is alcohol.

Jains typically eat only after sunrise and before sunset; their food includes no root vegetables. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)

Explaining Jain dietary requirements further, Kurush F Dalal, archaeologist and culinary anthropologist told indianexpress.com that Jain diet — in its purest form today — means no root-vegetable at all. “[It means] no onions, garlic, ginger; no potatoes, carrots or beetroots either… no peanuts. Anything that grows under the ground, is not [to be consumed]. It has to be vegetarian. Many austere Jains will not eat mushrooms either. Surprisingly, a lot of Jains don’t eat sabudana today, because they believe the process of making it contravenes their religious taboos.”

Dalal added that consumption of grains is not a problem. “All grains are completely and totally acceptable, along with pulses, green leafy vegetables, beans, etc. As long as they don’t grow under the ground, Jains are good with it. [They can also eat] all kinds of fruits and veggies, lots of milk products — like butter, ghee, curd.”

He said Jains typically eat only after sunrise and before sunset. “That is, if you are a hardcore Jain. Along with that, there are a few occasions (festivals) throughout the year, where they have to abstain from eating. It is supposed to be good for your spiritual growth,” he concluded.

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