Taste of Traditions: Mapping Indian Cuisines in Comixense: The Fellowship of Food

  

Taste of Traditions: Mapping Indian Cuisines in Comixense: The Fellowship of Food 

Abstract:

India, being the most populous nation and a major agricultural producer, faces significant challenges to meet its annual food demand. India’s diverse landscapes profoundly influence the regional variations and transfusions in its culinary traditions. Indian cuisines, deeply intertwined with myths, traditions and nostalgia, have evolved into significant markers socio-politico-religious identity, often giving rise to the gastro-politics (Appadurai 1981), that can lead to both social diversity and adversity. The Indian comic magazine Comixense’s special edition, The Fellowship of Food, explores a broad spectrum of Indian culinary traditions, examining their social, religious and mythical implications. 

This paper employs visual research methodology to critically assess and understand various graphical representations of cuisines as cultural identities across different regions of India. It explores the interplay between geographical locations and foodscapes (Fraser 2017; Lowitt 2014; Roep and Wiskerke 2013), actively shaping and transforming Indian culinary practices in this graphic narrative. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate food as a tool for class stratification and intergenerational reunification. Finally, the paper aims to extend its scope beyond national boundaries, initiating a broader dialogue on food as a transnational and global phenomenon, highlighting its universal and transcultural significance.

Keywords: Culinary, Nostalgia, Identity, Gastro-politics, Foodscape.