Kutha meat
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Kutha (Kuttha) meat is defined as "meat of animal or fowl slaughtered slowly or slaughter which sanctifies meat", the halal and kosher methods being examples of the latter.[1] It has been more broadly defined as "killing an animal with a prayer",[2] or as "a sacrifice to God",[3] or meat prepared through "unnecessary ritualism".[4]
The Sikh community views this method of killing animals negatively and forbid adherents from consuming such meat. Hindu philosophy views Kutha as a means of repression and an inhumane non-Aryan[citation needed] way of killing animals for human consumption.
Hinduism
During Mughal rule, Hindus viewed Kutha meat as creating "spiritual weakness among Hindus".[5] Also, according to the anti-Hindu oppressive Mughal law of the time, "Hindus were neither permitted to keep weapons at home nor allowed to cook and eat any form of meat".[5] Hence, many Hindus will not eat Kutha meat. In addition to this, according to the ancient Aryan Vedic tradition, "only such meat as is obtained from an animal which is killed with one stroke of the weapon causing instantaneous death is fit for human consumption".[2]
Sikhism
Eating kutha meat for a baptised Sikh is considered to be one of the Four Cardinal Sins.[6] These four sins are part of the Sikh Code of Conduct (Rehit Maryada).[6] The undermentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided:
- Dishonouring the hair;
- Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way (Kutha);[7]
- Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse;
- Using tobacco.
The reason for Sikhs avoiding Kutha "does not lie in religious tenet but in the view that killing an animal with a prayer is not going to ennoble the flesh."[2] Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru) also instructed Sikhs not to eat Kutha meat in order to boycott the Moghul Empire.[5]
Jhatka
The prescribed method of slaughter for animals for Sikhs[8] and Hindus[citation needed] is Jhatka, which is seen as the opposite to Kutha.
See also
References
- ^ Rayall, Gurbachan Singh (31 December 1998). Punjabi University English-Punjabi dictionary. Foreign Language Study (in Punjabi and English). Punjabi University. ISBN 81-7380-095-2. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
The Sikh Rahit Maryada forbids hair-cutting, adultery, the use of intoxicants, and the eating of kutha meat—that is, Muslim halal or Jewish kosher meat, obtained through the slow bleeding or religious sacrifice of animals.
- ^ a b c Singh, I. J. (October 1994). "15 Food Taboos in Sikhism". Sikhs and Sikhism: a view with a bias. University of Michigan: Manohar,. p. 71 to 75. ISBN 81-7304-058-3. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Sikhism, A Complete Introduction, Dr. H.S.Singha & Satwant Kaur, Hemkunt Press ISBN 81-7010-245-6; Paperback; 2009-05-30
- ^ Mosher, Lucinda (1 June 2005). "4 Distance". Belonging (Faith in the Neighbourhood) [Paperback]. Church Publishing Inc. p. 108. ISBN 1-59627-010-1. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
- ^ a b c SINGH LAMBA, PUNEET (1 September 2003). "Kala Afghana on Non-Vegetarianism". Kala Afghana. THE SIKH TIMES. p. 1. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check|archiveurl=value (help) - ^ a b Dharam Parchar Committee (July 1997). "Sikh Reht Maryada Section Six" (in English and Gurmukhi). Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee, Amritsar. pp. Article XXIV p. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Mansukhani, G.S (30 May 2009). "76 What is the Sikh attituted to non-vegetarian food.". Introduction to Sikhism (Paperback ed.). Hemkunt Press. p. 87. ISBN 81-7010-181-6. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
- ^ "The Hindu : Sci Tech / Speaking Of Science : Changes in the Indian menu over the ages". Hinduonnet.com. 21 October 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
External links
- Film Halal V Jhatka
- Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
- Adobe Version of Fools Who Wrangle Over Flesh
- Professor Gurbax Singh Dhillon - Meat Eating and Rehat Maryada
- Video Showing Jhatka at Hazoor Sahib
- The Myth of Goat Sacrifice and Hazoor Sahib
- Tenets of Guru Gobind Singh by Baldev Singh
- Sikh History on Diet
- Sikh Scholar Views on Diet