This is the only place in India where onions are completely banned, neither grown nor sold; reason is…, it is…
Food habits in India vary widely from state to state, reflecting the cultural diversity of the country, the geography and climate of the nation, and the availability of local, regional, and seasonal food products and produce. Some people are vegetarians, others are non-vegetarians. Some individuals don’t even eat onions and garlic.
Onions are a key ingredient in almost all Indian kitchens, but consider a place that doesn’t even allow any form of onion, even the tiniest trace – that is exactly what Katra is, in Jammu and Kashmir is an unusual and unique city in India that does not allow any edible forms of onion.
Where is this unique city located in India?
Katra in Jammu and Kashmir is the only city in India that totally bans onions and garlic. Neither growing nor selling onions and garlic is permitted. One cannot find them in hotels and restaurants; this is all done in strict adherence to religious beliefs and devotion, making it one of a kind in terms of faith and discipline.
From dals and vegetables to salads and chutneys, onions are a key ingredient in the Indian kitchen. However, Katra is a city where the growing, selling, and eating of onions is strictly prohibited. Hotels and restaurants do not serve anything with onions or garlic, and there is a reason for that. Katra is the starting point for the sacred Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, a pilgrimage that stretches for about 14 kilometers through mountains, and, in an effort to maximize the sanctity of the pilgrimage area, all forms of onions and garlic have been omitted.
What makes this city ban onions completely?
In Hindu philosophy, onions and garlic are seen as tamasic foods, believed to amplify laziness, anger, and negative influences in the mind and body. Because of this, they cannot be consumed while praying, fasting, or performing rituals. Katra is the main entrance to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple, so it is imperative to have a sattvic (pure and spiritual) environment. This is why it is strictly forbidden to use onions and garlic in Katra—a tradition that continues to this day.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Katra in Jammu and Kashmir is the only city in India that totally bans onions and garlic.
- Onions can’t be found in the vegetable markets or in grocery stores.
- Katra is the main entrance to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple.
- Hotels and restaurants do not serve anything with onions or garlic.
There is no onion trade in Katra. Onions can’t be found in the vegetable markets or in grocery stores. There are no hotels, dhabas, or restaurants with a menu containing onions or garlic. But this really does not make the food available here tasteless. The food is sattvic, and fresh, full of taste and nutrition without the use of onion and garlic – and devotees love the food! The city is not just the gateway to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple—it also stands as a symbol of faith and discipline.
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