Column by Prof. Narendra Nayak - Madesnana or rolling over left-over food on banana leaves – has been a practice amongst some of the communities inKarnataka,India. While several sources claim that this has been a tradition followed over hundred years and, is sanctioned by the Holy Scriptures; its role in the community health – for which it is performed – is to be questioned; at least- scientifically.

I came across this so called “Holy ritual” several times during my childhood, during my visits to temples with my mother. Interestingly, I was then told that such acts were popular only within the Gouda Saraswat Brahmin folks; where GSB people rolled over left – over food on banana leaves, on which some other GSB people had eaten. Even now many are of the same belief. But an incident that happened recently in one of the temples called Kukke Subramanya has completely changed the skeletons of this ritual in my mind.

The incident that happened in this particular temple has angles of casteism, lack of humanity, dogmatism and blind belief as well. Marked by scheduled tribes rolling over the partially consumed food on banana leaves by Brahmins; under a belief that their skin and fertility disorders would be cured – this episode has gone beyond a tradition to become a health myth, a social taint and an utterly irrational folklore.

While it had many a participants with an unquestioned faith in the custom; some regarded it as a matter of demonstrating loyalty to the upper castes, by the lower castes and some others – a medicinal cure. However, there were some activists belonging to the lower castes who opposed this unfounded belief and the entire act in public. A memorandum was also submitted to the temple administrator by these activists, in response to the unpleasant event. Sadly, the rational perspectives and intrepid actions of these activists were not very well received.

The police were silent spectators of the proceedings and ministry was distributed in terms of opinions on the event. While the Dalit or lower caste ministers were opposed to the undignified ritual, some others belonging to the upper caste Brahmin sector like Dr. V.S Acharya – were not completely opposed to it. He preferred it to be a personal choice of the public. The reasons for his opinions may be many such as his roots in the Shivalli Brahmin class of people or a desire to please a certain political lobby. Whatever the reasons may be for his lack of opposition – the theories he propounded to bolster his lack of opposition towards abolishment of the said ritual were strange; especially coming from an M.B.B.S graduate. He said that such an act could not be dismissed out rightly, as there could be possibilities of unknown immunological reactions raising antigens and antibodies towards helping disease – cure; making the tradition run for so many years. He cited an example of Homeopathy medicine in this context which was a questioned form of medicine, too.

From a rationalist point of view as well as in the context of health science; neither of the arguments presented can be held on to. What needs to be realized here is that if such traditions are to be followed on medical grounds then there has to be some sort of scientific evidence in its anchor. Alternately, clinical trials can be conducted in multiple combinations to arrive to an appropriate conclusion in this regard; therapeutic responses of: the Brahmins asked to roll over left-over food on Dalits’ leaves, the Dalits asked to roll over left-over food on Dalit’s leaves, Dalits asked to roll over left-over food on Brahmin’s leaves and finally, the Brahmins asked to roll over left-over food on Brahmins’ leaves;  have to be compared for their antibody levels. And with regard to its comparison with Homeopathy – it is to be known and understood that Homeopathy was never an indigenous form of medicine; several double blind trials have shown that it does not work and it has been removed from the National Health Service inUK.

This ritual of rolling over left-over food on banana leaves is an act of Human Rights violation. Further, it denigrates the existing unity in society and provides scope for contagion spread among individuals participating. So, until such myths are debunked; our nation and its people are continuously under darkness of baseless superstitions. It is high time – we as responsible members of the science fraternity; promote public health awareness and get rid of such risky blind faith fallacies.

Columnist, Prof. Narendra Nayak, is National President of  Federation of Indian Rationalists Association. 

Popularity: 28% [?]