With a rule that forbids the sale and eating of meat and meat-based goods, including eggs, Palitana, a small city in Gujarat's bhavnagar district, has made history as the world's first vegetarian city. Following a demonstration by Jain monks who called for the closure of about 250 meat stores in the city and a complete prohibition on the sale and consumption of non-vegetarian food, the gujarat government enacted the ban.
Significantly, the little-known city is a major destination for Jain pilgrims and is the location of the well-known Shatrunjaya Hill temples, which draw hundreds of thousands of Jain pilgrims and international visitors annually.
Palitana's whole meat ban is based on the Jain concept of ahimsa, or non-violence, which holds that killing even the most insignificant animals, like insects, is the worst sin a person can do. Therefore, the Gujarati state government enacted a rule that forbids the sale of meat and eggs in Palitana and the killing of animals for food in an attempt to respect the Jain community's beliefs and customs.
Critics have expressed worry over the government's move to restrict individual dietary choices, arguing that it violates fundamental rights entrenched in the indian constitution, even as the Jain community has united in support of the meat ban in Palitana.
Palitana's vegetarian food scene has flourished since the ban, with new vegetarian eateries preserving the city's religious and cultural traditions while serving a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
The city has become a refuge for vegetarians and those wishing to live a meatless lifestyle, and it now features a wide variety of vegetarian restaurants.
Significantly, the little-known city is a major destination for Jain pilgrims and is the location of the well-known Shatrunjaya Hill temples, which draw hundreds of thousands of Jain pilgrims and international visitors annually.
Palitana's whole meat ban is based on the Jain concept of ahimsa, or non-violence, which holds that killing even the most insignificant animals, like insects, is the worst sin a person can do. Therefore, the Gujarati state government enacted a rule that forbids the sale of meat and eggs in Palitana and the killing of animals for food in an attempt to respect the Jain community's beliefs and customs.
Critics have expressed worry over the government's move to restrict individual dietary choices, arguing that it violates fundamental rights entrenched in the indian constitution, even as the Jain community has united in support of the meat ban in Palitana.
Palitana's vegetarian food scene has flourished since the ban, with new vegetarian eateries preserving the city's religious and cultural traditions while serving a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
The city has become a refuge for vegetarians and those wishing to live a meatless lifestyle, and it now features a wide variety of vegetarian restaurants.
