A community affair! How the Dawoodi Bohras celebrate Eid

Dawoodi Bohra, a Shiite sub sect, stands out due to their culture and food habits. The community dining concept, centered around the thaal (a large steel plate) with seven members or more sharing a meal from it, has drawn the fancy of many. As the Dawoodi Bohras gear up for Eid celebrations (Bohra community will observe the festival today), we bring to you a few insights on it.

- The cuisine, per se, bears influences from Iraq, Egypt, Yemen and Gujarat, a result of the communityfs legacy.

- This business community believes in taking everything with a pinch of salt, literally. Their meals begin with a pinch of salt, which is offered in a small palm sized bowl.


- The meal goes dessert first. It is believed that eating the sweet meal first enables the flow of digestive secretions.

- The idea behind the thaal was to bring people from all strata of society together so that they could mingle over meals.

- It is believed that thaal aids in curbing wastage of food. It is mandatory to finish everything taken on the plate. Great isn't!