The diversity in the Indian kitchen, made up of influences from all over the world, is the subject of a 2025 calendar made by three Calcuttans.
An introductory note to the monthly pages says the Indian kitchen is a “diverse canvas, where various influences have blended together to create a wonderful multiculturalism”. Twelve following pages, each for a month, tell 12 food tales.
It has stories of how chillies arrived from Mexico and asafoetida from Afghanistan before they became India’s own. Biryani and khichdi are monthly subjects, as are Adivasi and Dalit food. The writings are accompanied by colourful illustrations.
The people behind the calendar want to celebrate India’s diversity at the turn of every year. The campaign is called “Calendar: Canvas of Untold History”.
The 2024 calendar had 12 stories of communal harmony and local legends that offered hope against a backdrop of division and bigotry.
“The relationship between food and cultural identity is a controversial subject in India. This debate has given rise to power play, political claims and questions of control over our pluralistic cultural map. With the rise of Hindutva politics, attempts to label certain foods as ‘Indian’ and ‘non-Indian’, imposing vegetarianism across the country or violent politics over beef consumption seek to dim the colour of harmony in Indian society,” the introductory note says.
Mitali Biswas, an independent documentary filmmaker; Sagarika Dutta, an illustrator; and Abir Neogy, who is in the printing business, are behind the calendar.
“When Hindutva forces use food as a political weapon to establish a cultural hegemony, they not only stir religious parochialism but also
damage the deep-rooted diversity of the Indian society. Our calendar is a bid to counter that nefarious project,” Biswas told Metro.
Asafoetida, or hing, was brought to India by Kabuliwahlas, the calendar says.
“Hing adds an Umami flavour to vegetarian dishes, especially pulses and hence you find it in every household... Its arrival in India was through Kabuliwahlas who brought this unique flavour along with raisins and dry fruits,” says a note.
Multiple artists have contributed to the project. One of them is Siddhesh Gautam, a Delhi-based multi-discipline, mixed-media artist and an Ambedkarite. His work is focused on the visual documentation of India’s anti-caste movement.
For the calendar, Gautam has made an illustration of Dalit food. “For centuries, Dalits in India have been victims of institutional oppression, which has also affected their food culture. The seemingly ordinary ingredients that are easily available from nature have found their way into the diet of the marginalised people,” the accompanying note says.
Oral historian and heritage conservationist Sohail Hashmi helped in the project.
Orders can be placed on WhatsApp at 9433760752 or the Facebook page of Calendar: Canvas of Untold History.
The makers are printing around 500 calendars, each priced at ₹220.