Gastronomic Tradition And Development in the Kuta Maha Jagat

Abstract

This paper seeks to understand the nature of development through an examination of the gastronomic tradition. The Kuta Maha Jagat (KMJ) or the Great Universe of Kota, a cluster of 14 villages in the Udupi District of Karnataka State, is the geographical context of the study. It is a multi-jati community with Brahmins enjoying dominance in such domains as economy, education and ritual. After introducing food as an important aspect of socio-cultural reality, the description of the research universe is provided. Then the paper elucidates the centrality of gastronomy for the people of KW. The next part accounts the socio­economic transformation of the area and the nature of development. The argument of the paper is that in the context of development-induced stress the gastronomic tradition is reinvented.