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As Republic Day approaches, it’s a time to reflect on the diverse and innovative ways Indians resisted colonial rule. While everyone is aware of the role played by salt in the Freedom Struggle, there are other equally fascinating stories where food took center stage. From the humble chapati to sweet confections like laddoos and rasgullas, food nourished the body and fueled the spirit of resistance. These seemingly innocuous food items carried secret messages, created networks of unrest, and even symbolized unity.
The Mysterious Chapati Movement of 1857
1857 marked the beginning of India’s First War of Independence, and at its heart lay a most unexpected symbol of rebellion—the chapati. In the small town of Mathura, near Agra, protestors began a peculiar movement: thousands of chapatis were baked and distributed across villages at night, often travelling distances of up to 300 kilometres. These chapatis, rumoured to carry hidden messages, were passed on by chowkidars and policemen.
Although British investigations found no evidence of actual messages, the chapati movement created an atmosphere of mysterious unrest. The British civil servant JW Sherer, in his book Daily Life During the Indian Mutiny, wrote, “The objective behind the chapati movement was to create an atmosphere of mysterious restlessness, and the experiment had been very successful.” The Chapati Movement, a fascinating precursor to the 1857 Rebellion, unfolded just months before the uprising, suggesting a possible connection.
Bomb or Box of Rasgullas?
In 1930, a simple telegram about Bengali sweets threw British authorities into a frenzy. Sri Chettur Sankaran Nair, a prominent anti-British figure, had planned a gathering, prompting the British to issue a red alert. When they intercepted a telegram that read “Bengali Sweets Dispatched,” they assumed it was a coded message about bombs.
Much to their embarrassment, the shipment turned out to be juicy rasgullas from Kolkata. This clever ruse not only confused the British but also highlighted the ingenuity of Indian revolutionaries, who used food to outsmart their oppressors. It was a sweet victory, quite literally.
Laddoos: Sweet Symbols of Resistance
Laddoos, the quintessential Indian mithai, have long been associated with celebrations and joy. However, during the freedom struggle, they took on a revolutionary role. Freedom fighters used laddoos to deliver secret messages, and even disguised bombs.
Sweets: A Means of Communication during Freedom Struggle
Sabyasachi Gorai, a food anthropologist, points out that revolutionaries imitated French tactics by using food as a means of communication. Boxes of sweets became Morse codes, and their arrangements carried crucial information. For instance, a box of laddoos signified bombs were landing, a box of Bengali rasgullas was valent to a consignment of explosives and motichoor ladoos with a few coloured boondi dots were used to make a map of an area by joining the dots. The simplicity of these methods belied their effectiveness, making sweets a surprising tool of rebellion.
The Tiranga Barfi: A Sweet Message of Unity
There was a point in India when you couldn’t keep the tiranga flying high, for it would upset the Britishers. With British censoring newspapers and banning posters, freedom fighters had to find new ways to spread their message. One such innovation was the tiranga barfi, which makes an appearance every Republic and Independence Day in sweetshops in North India. Created to represent the Swaraj flag—a predecessor to the Indian flag of today—it was first crafted by sweetmaker Raghunath Das Gupta in his small sweetshop, Ram Bhandar, in Varanasi.
Since there were no artificial food colours at the time, a layer of barfi made from oranges was placed alongside khoya or nariyal barfi, and pistachio-flavoured barfi was used for the green stripe. The barfi was used to commemorate the unfurling of the flag on the banks of the Ravi by Jawaharlal Nehru. This humble yet creative sweet became a symbol of unity and defiance, carrying the spirit of freedom in every bite.
Food as a Unifier
The Chapati Movement isn’t the only instance where chapatis played a role in a large social movement. Another significant event was the Vaikom Satyagraha, a nonviolent protest in Kerala from 1924 to 1925 against caste-based discrimination that restricted lower-caste individuals from accessing temples and public roads.
During the Vaikom Satyagraha, which coincided with Akalis' struggle for Sikh places of worship reform, the Punjab Prabandh Shiromani Committee established a community kitchen at the protest venue, expressing solidarity with the cause. Arriving on April 28, 1924, a dedicated team of 10 individuals from Punjab commenced serving chapatis until June 25, offering over 30,000 free meals. The Punjabi-operated kitchen ceased its operations on June 25, upon exhausting wheat stocks. Though the Akali Sikhs returned to Punjab, Keralites didn’t forget the tastes and flavours introduced by them. It didn’t take too long for the humble chapati to become a staple of Malayalis.
The Vaikom Satyagraha was a landmark moment in Kerala’s social reform and a precursor to larger movements for equality and independence. Once again, the humble chapati was a silent yet powerful symbol of resistance, playing its part in the broader fight for justice.
Conclusion: A Legacy Beyond the Plate
The role of food in India’s freedom struggle is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of its people. Whether through the mysterious chapati movement, the clever use of sweets, or the symbolic act of sharing meals, food played a unique role in uniting and mobilizing the nation. As we celebrate Republic Day, let us remember that even the simplest acts—like making a chapati or sharing a laddoo—can become powerful symbols of change. This legacy of using food as a means of resistance is a flavorful reminder of the creativity and spirit that defined India’s journey to freedom.