Rice vs Roti: Mythologist decodes North Indian patriarchy, why South produces more educated women

Renowned author Devdutt Patnaik has discussed the ‘politics of grain’ in India while comparing North Indian and South Indian women. He considers rice and wheat consumption across the country and its relation to literacy among women.

Rice vs Roti debate

Patnaik noted that cooking rice, which is majorly consumed in South India, takes less time than making rotis, giving women more time to study. While in North India women are busy making rotis, giving them less time to study.

In a post on Facebook, Devdutt Patnaik wrote, “North Indian women make rotis of WHEAT. So have less time to study. They are busy giving “garam-garam” roti to men so have to be in kitchen all the time. Roti-making more labour than rice boiling.”

He added, “South Indian women make RICE. So have more time to study. The rice boils and stays warm on its own on the stove. You serve it with ghee. South India is therefore far more literate and educated than North Indian women.”

Tradition of covering heads

Another comparison drawn to compare women from North India and South India is the practice of covering the head and using flower hair. He claimed that women in North India cover their heads to keep them safe, while widows in South India do a similar practice to look unattractive.

“North Indian women need to cover head (ghunghat) and face to protect themselves from sexual advances of men around them. This veiling practice PREDATES islamic invasion. So even after kicking out Muslim rulers, the practice continues. In South India, widows cover heads (ghastly practice to make them unattractive), Not girls and married women,” Patnaik said.

Reason for wearing flowers on hair

Similarly, he compared the tradition of women putting flowers on their hair, which is predominantly practised in South India.

“Women in South India wear flowers in their hair. To wear flowers in your hair in North India is seen as being a ‘tawaif’. This is changing under influence of Bollywood,” he added.

Historical significance of rice and wheat consumption

According to Patnaik, “In Natya-shastra and Kama-shastra, Madhya-desha (UP) was seen as a land of “Arya”, and they clearly saw Dravida and Andhra as distant and inferior and foreign. From Madya-desha (middle kingdom) there were roads to north (uttara-patha) towards Kashmir, also rice-eating, and south (dakshina-patha) towards Kalinga and Keralam, also rice-eating. Rice-eating zones were centres of Tantra and later Vedanta.”

He claimed wheat and millet were consumed in Rajput zones and lands Parashurama acquired from Kshatriyas.

Patnaik further asserted that wheat and millet were consumed to control women.

“The labour of wheat (which came from West Asia and Middle East) and millet (from China and Africa) is meant to control women. The freedom of rice (which came from Southeast Asia, along with betel nut, betel leaf, sugarcane, coconut) brings freedom to women,” he said.

‘Maggi noodles is a homage to rice-cooking,’ says Patnaik

While considering rice as an instant food, Patnaik said, “Men can easily cook rice. They make rotis in funny shape. Maggi noodles is a homage to rice-cooking not roti-making. Rice is nature’s instant food. Dosa made of rice, idli made of rice, is so quick and easy to make. Less labour, less control, less oppression. So rice payasam dish given to gods. Roti-with-chana given to goddess. More untouchability, more milk drinking and more Brahminism clearly in roti-zones.”

He further added, “Next time they tell you rice causes weight gain and roti prevents weight gain – remember the politics of grain in our country.”

Netizens argue

Several social media users have presented differing opinions on Patnaik’s post, where most have cited geography and climate as the reason for varying rice and wheat consumption across India.

One of the users commented, “Accepted that making roti is more laborious than making rice! But the preferences differed because of water availability instead of anything else! As paddy requires more water contrary to wheat and millet, north, especially rain starved zones preferred that kind of cropping! That induced the food habit too! Even large areas of UP, Bihar also use rice, though supplemented by roti!”

Another user added, “No one eats only rice. It needs sambhar, rasam, curd and vegetables. It takes a solid one hour to cook. Did you check any South Indian women about whether they feel cooking south indian food as liberating?”

One of the users commented, “Our food, crops and cooking depends on climatic conditions and availability of things. Usually they become habit. No point for education and superiority in this regard. We find highly intellectual and educated people and women in roti making and eating areas. They balance kitchen and job effeciently.”