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Journalism of Courage
Indian culture and cuisine have captivated people around the world, inspiring many foreign nationals to leave their home countries and settle in India. As the internet continues to bridge geographical boundaries, a recent post by a French woman living in India has gone viral. In it, she shared her experience of adapting to the Indian lifestyle, highlighting eating with her hands.
In her post, Julia Chaigneau shared that she was “awkward” in the beginning; however, it turned out to be a delightful experience for her. “I grew up eating pizza and burgers with a knife and fork. Not by choice, by ‘punishment’. In France, eating with your hands is considered ‘rude’, not to be mean just because of the culture,” she wrote.
“Years later, a friend re-taught me how to eat with my hands. At first, it felt awkward, almost rebellious. Then something shifted.” Chaigneau added that she began to feel the heat before it burned her tongue and could also sense textures. She also said that eating with her hands allows her to mix flavours, which was not possible with a fork.
“I even wasted less,” she said.
“Re-experiencing food through senses beyond sight made me rethink, as a designer, how easy it is to overlook the power of our other senses in shaping experiences. I have tried to keep that in mind since then,” she wrote.
See the post here:
The video quickly gained traction, garnering a wave of reactions. “Maybe it’s the novelty factor that’s making you like it? As someone who has done both, the only reasons I would prefer hands over knife and fork is if I’m not proficient enough (major factor), if it’s unavailable or due to cultural sensitivities,” a user wrote.
“There are tons of things beyond senses and that’s only available in Bharat..start with ancient temples and you will know what I mean. The journey you won’t regret i bet,” another user commented.
“There is a group in india who eat dosa with knife & fork,” a third user joked.
