E-Paper
Taste of Life: When Punekars agreed to disagree to meet and share thoughts
Sugarcane juice was inexpensive; it could be procured anywhere in Poona. Sugarcane was grown in Deccan and “Kesari” had been writing against importing sugar from Mauritius. Drinking sugarcane juice would popularise the beverage and sensitise the “modern, educated” youth about the perils of trade that benefitted colonial powers, it felt
Conversation begets conversation – the more you engage the easier it is to make connections. Food and drinks often make a conversation easy. Civilizations, ancient and modern, have encouraged men to eat and drink together to make them talk to each other. Plutarch, the ancient philosopher, famously said eating alone meant simply filling your stomach as animals did.
On May 1, 1888, the Marathi newspaper “Kesari”, edited by Lokmanya BG Tilak, put forth a novel idea in one of its editorials. Titled “Sahapaan” (drinking together), the article urged the “educated” citizens of Poona to form a society where the members would come together and have interesting discussions over beverages. The idea was to have a “drink for thought” event to promote intellectual conversation.
The basic idea of the society was borrowed by “Kesari” from the “symposia” held in ancient Greece and Rome, and the tea clubs and coffee houses in modern Europe.
A symposium in ancient times was a wine-drinking party, held in a private home in a semi-formal setting. Wealthy, influential men would gather together to drink for pleasure and engage in physically or intellectually stimulating activities. The word “symposium” comes from the Greek “sympinein” which means “to drink together”. In ancient Greece, the symposium was part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, or conversation. Symposiasts might also compete in rhetorical contests, for which reason the word “symposium” has come to refer in English to any event where multiple speeches are made.
Symposiums were held on various occasions and gathered attendees from various social classes depending on their hosts’ spiritual level. A large variety of appetisers, poultry, chopped meats, and seafood covered the tables along with carafes of wine.
“Kesari” suggested that the new “society” to be established should draw inspiration from the “sapeeteesamaj” (establishments where men drank together) prevalent in Western countries, but it should limit itself to non-alcoholic beverages and avoid offering food to members, since hosting lunch or dinner would prove very expensive. Some “educated” men had observed how European banquets were conducted and they would expect the same lavishness from the “poor” intelligentsia of Poona, “Kesari” warned.
“Kesari” offered a choice of three beverages for the “sapeeteesamaj” in Poona – sugarcane juice, tea, and coffee. The newspaper, however, was not very keen on young men drinking tea and coffee. Several Indian nationalist leaders and newspapers were actively campaigning against the unjust policies of the British concerning the trade of tea and coffee. Most of the tea and coffee estates were owned by Europeans and Indian workers on the plantations were exploited.
The article, however, mentions how effective the tea clubs and coffee houses had been in promoting intelligent discourse in Europe. English coffeehouses were often associated with the Age of Enlightenment. In the 17th and 18th centuries, they were public social places where men would meet for conversation and business. The absence of alcohol created an atmosphere in which it was possible to engage in more serious conversation than in an alehouse. Topics discussed included politics and political scandals, philosophy, current events, music, medicine, literature, and debates surrounding the natural sciences.
“Kesari” had been consistently campaigning against the growing popularity of alcohol among Indians since its inception in 1881. Tilak, in the 1890s, often participated in public demonstrations outside shops selling alcohol in Poona. No wonder, the newspaper, habitual to regularly cautioning its readers against the cons of alcohol addiction, wrote that the society should prohibit its members from consuming alcohol. Liquor does not let a man think straight and such addictions are detrimental to the population of a nation that is seeking to free itself from the rule of the Europeans, the article said.
In ancient Greek, a symposium would be overseen by a “symposiarch” who would decide how strong the wine for the evening would be, depending on whether serious discussions or sensual indulgence were in the offing. Along similar lines, “Kesari” suggested that a member of the new “sapeeteesamaj” should be appointed who would decide on the choice of beverage for the gathering, and limit the amount of beverage served to the members. But it was clearly partial towards sugarcane juice as the perfect beverage for the society.
Sugarcane juice was inexpensive; it could be procured anywhere in Poona. Sugarcane was grown in Deccan and “Kesari” had been writing against importing sugar from Mauritius. Drinking sugarcane juice would popularise the beverage and sensitise the “modern, educated” youth about the perils of trade that benefitted colonial powers, it felt.
But sugarcane juice was available only during the months of summer. “Kesari” suggested that the society should conduct its affairs over a glass of milk or buttermilk when sugarcane juice was not readily available.
The main aim of the society, according to the article, was to bring “educated” men together and make them discuss important topics related to society, politics, and culture. If we want our country to prosper and free itself, we should encourage open discussion and dissent, “Kesari” said. The men would discuss different aspects of life and thus would help each other understand different perspectives, it believed. The society was to be a vehicle by which culture and independent thought were transmitted.
This society was not to be confused with a club. One could socialise, carry out business deals, arrange marriage contracts, gossip, enjoy a good meal, and relax at a club. “Sapeeteesamaj” was supposed to conduct intellectual discussions and nothing else.
“Kesari” hoped that “educated men” would eagerly participate in such an activity. In those days, the word “educated” could be considered a euphemism for so-called “upper caste” men. Most of the social and political activities in the 19th century Poona were limited to the so-called “upper caste” men. The idea of a “sapeeteesamaj” in Poona was no exception.
A similar “society” had then been established in Madras where “learned, educated, and wise” men gathered to discuss society, culture, and politics over cups of tea, coffee, and buttermilk. “Kesari” mentioned this society and advised men from Poona to work together to make “sapeeteesamaj” in Poona a grand success.
In a small note, published a month later, “Kesari” mentioned that their proposal had received an overwhelming response from its readers and they were confident that very soon a “sapeeteesamaj” would be established in the city.
However, no such society came into existence in Poona. The reasons are not known. The newspaper never mentioned “sapeeteesamaj” again. What would have been a space for the promotion of free thought, although accessible to a privileged few, never saw the light of day.
Chinmay Damle is a research scientist and food enthusiast. He writes here on Pune’s food culture. He can be contacted at chinmay.damle@gmail.com
