This year, eating haleem could land you in trouble, especially if Ramzan is not your festival. If you follow a different faith, chances are high that you could be labeled a person who is against your faith.
Well, that’s because the Hindu organisations this year have asked Hindus to not eat haleem. Haleem is something that everyone looks forward to in Hyderabad.
Many await the season to have their quota of haleem throughout the year. Ironically, posters and messages are doing rounds in whatsapp groups asking Hindus to take an oath not to touch haleem this season. Haleem is part of the integral ganga-jamuni tehzeeb of Hyderabad.
Just to bring home the point, Rs 1000 crore business is done in the 1 month just on that one dish. According to Hyderabad Hotels’ Association, around 60 lakh plates of haleem are likely to be sold this year.
Roughly 7000 outlets sell haleem and 1 lakh people get employment during these 30 days just to make and serve haleem. And Hyderabadi haleem is not restricted to Hyderabad alone. It is exported to Dubai, UK, US and many central Asian countries.
Let’s consider the nutritional value of haleem. It is said to contain 18 to 25 grams of protein, though there are some who believe it provides 48 gm in richer portions. There is also chicken-based haleem available in the market. Over the years, they have also introduced vegetarian haleem.
In fact, Hyderabadi haleem was given the GI tag in the year 2010, the first non-vegetarian dish to get get a GI tag in India.
Then what is the general public feeling. An average Hyderabadi is clear. They say – stay off our biryani and haleem.
But politicizing Hyderabadi haleem is surely a matter of concern!
