Sanjeev Sanyal Pushes Back on Bageshwar Baba’s Call for a Vegetarian Durga Puja

When self‑styled godman Dhirendra Shastri – better known as Bageshwar Baba – took to social media urging Bengalis to ditch non‑vegetarian food during Durga Puja, the reaction was anything but muted. Within hours, Sanjeev Sanyal, historian, author and member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, fired back on X, reminding everyone that meat has deep roots in Shakta worship.

"Meat is core to Shakta Hinduism. It is offered to Ma Durga and Ma Kali as part of the ancient rituals," Sanyal wrote, his tone mixing scholarly certainty with a hint of personal pride. "The prasad eaten by devotees on Navami and Dashami is meat. Any interference in this sacred ritual will not be tolerated."

The historian, who hails from West Bengal, underscored that these offerings are not a modern novelty but a centuries‑old practice. For many devotees, the sight of a sizzling kebab or a tender piece of goat meat on the puja altar is as symbolic as the decorated idols themselves.

Bageshwar Baba, on the other hand, had labeled those who consume meat during the festival as “heretics,” positioning his plea as a moral imperative. He painted the festival as a time for compassion, urging followers to adopt a strictly vegetarian diet for the duration of the celebrations.

Political reactions quickly followed. West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya dismissed the godman’s pronouncement as an intrusion on personal choice, pointing to Swami Vivekananda’s more relaxed stance on food. “What people eat or wear during Durga Puja is a matter of personal choice,” he said, hinting that no external authority should dictate the menu.

Sanyal’s response was equally firm. "Good to see some imposition of order," he added in a later post, clarifying that Durga Puja is a sacred festival for Shakta Hindus, not merely a secular ‘Sharadiya’ carnival. While he applauded the artistic splendor and communal joy of the celebrations, he warned against tampering with the ritual core.

The exchange has sparked a broader conversation about tradition versus reform, especially in a state where food habits are closely tied to cultural identity. For now, the streets of Kolkata and the surrounding villages will continue to fill with the mingled aromas of incense, sweet sweets, and, for many, the unmistakable scent of meat‑based prasad.