Historic food practices for the everyday Bengali

Food is one of the founding steps for a society to function properly.

- DR ASIS MITRA

MOHUL BHATTACHARYA In the modern age of fast food, fast fashion, and fast lifestyle, we seldom think of nutrition, the basic food that is entering our body. Hence, Paushtik Life hosted Paka Darpana on World Sanskrit Day, which is celebrated on 9 August. Paushtik Life says, "Get a taste of Hitahara. In this era of junk and ultra-processed food that often creates long-term health risks, offer yourself the virtue of a unique, healthy, and tasty twelve-course lunch, the menu of which has been curated from the most ancient book on culinary art, Pakadarpanam, authored by Raja Nala, the legendary king of the state of Nishadha." Present among the dignitaries was the Director of Ayurveda, Dr Debasis Ghosh. In conversation with The Statesman, he said, "Ayurveda has always given a lot of focus on food. If we read the Charak Samhita, we will find in many chapters detailed descriptions of the various rules and systematic division for the intake of various foods and beverages. Not even modern medicine has been able to be this clear and distinc