Diet in Hinduism - Non-vegetarian Hindus

Non-vegetarian Hindus

Further information: History of Brahmin diet, Jhatka, and Animal sacrifice in Hinduism

Contrary to popular belief, India is not presently a predominantly vegetarian country. Brahmins of East India and Kashmir and the Saraswat Brahmins of the Southwest are allowed fish and some meat.

Historically and currently, those Hindus who eat meat prescribe jhatka meat. This is a common method of slaughter when Bali Sacrifices are made to some Hindu deities, however, Vedic rituals such as Agnicayana involved the strangulation of sacrificial goats. Many Shaivite Hindus engage in jhatka methods as part of religious dietary laws, as influenced by some Shakta doctrines, which permit the consumption of meat. During Durga Puja and Kali Puja among some Shaivite Hindus in Punjab, Bengal and Kashmir, Jhatka meat is the required meat for those Shaivite Hindus who eat meat. Many Vaishnava sects prohibit the consumption of meat, and their relative demographic predominance over some non-vegetarian Shaivite sects leads to a common stereotype that all Hindus are vegetarian.

Many dalit communities eat meat, such as the Chamar community of Punjab, but some may abstain from beef and/or pork, dependent on the village culture. Although killing cows is prohibited in Hinduism, in Nepal some Hindus sacrifice and consume meat from the Buffalo. There is a disagreement on buffalo meat consumption between Indian Hindus and Nepalese Hindus on this topic as cows and buffalo are seen as related species, with Nepalese holding that buffalo consumption is an old tradition in their country, and is regularly consumed there. Buffalo meat is popular in Nepalese national dishes like Momos and Burgers, while in India buffalo meat is largely rejected.