'Community kitchen' gives Bohra women freedom from cooking

[truebohra]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 893123.cms

[Human]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 893123.cms

Now their already unhealthy lifestyle and food habits will get worse. And one thing the bohri women knew was cooking (apart from gossiping about neighbours and discussing rida designs). Alas! In some years, they won't be able to cook anymore. It is then that the tiffins will start costing a fortune and people will have no choice but to pay for them

[ghulam muhammed]

Although this scheme looks good on paper but the real purpose behind it is something which only time will tell. Kothar is well known for its manipulative methods and anything done by them with a selfless motive is hard to digest. The so called reason of 'nutritous value', 'freedom for women' etc is far fetched. What they want is more time from women which could be used for further brainwashing by introducing multiple mikats, sabaks, amatullah guide, burhani womens etc etc in order to further tighten their grip over the amtes which in turn will be passed over to their respective husbands who would become more diehard abdes.

The recent past has seen a quantum jump in ziafats, mafsusiyats, sabaks etc. which was not the case a few years back. Now what are the religious/spiritual benefits is anyones guess !!!

[humanbeing]

Community Kitchen is indeed a good idea, but to the needy !

Providing bohra mumin with Tiffin is a good initiative and I wish all the best to maintain its standard and quality and consistency in coming times. However the maximum benefit of this scheme would be a applicable to those who are really pressed on time and resources to arrange food for themselves. They are usually : Below Poverty Line bohra mumins, Students, Working Men and Women.

The idea of freeing up women from kitchen wont be a great idea for middle & above middle class women. Women not only has cooking responsibility but take charge in running the house, cleanliness, shopping, children, etc. And women are doing a fine job dividing their time amongst various responsibilities in the house.

Home Cooked food is one important aspect which brings family together. Providing Tiffin to middle or above middle class households, where family can nicely afford ration and groceries is actually waste of community kitchen resources. Because, children and husbands demand their favorite dishes from women in their households.

Freeing up women from cooking responsibilities will also hamper their personal growth. I m not making a generalized statement here, but for some women kitchen is their forte. They remain active commercially and physically. They know what is happening in the food market (Aate-Cheeni ka bhaav) women also make good budgets.

[ghulam muhammed]

After this dabba scheme in force, the "Kaamwali Bais" are surely to go on strike.

[Human]

Haa Haa Haa.... conspiracy theorist, thy name is Human

Yes, in US that's what they call the people who try to spread the truth. Atleast my beliefs are logical and not blind like yours

[Human]

The problem with new-age reformists these days is that they see a cloud in every silver lining

Silver lining? My arsenal.
If a tree has rotten roots, the whole system including branches, leaves and flowers will carry the rot.
The core foundations are corrupt unfortunately.

[Al Zulfiqar]

of course, nalwala gets the KBMBNS dabba religiously at home as he is counted among the 'bohra women'...

with the resultant free time on his hands he can come here to support and encourage the scoundrels like prof and others who insult others' wives and hurl abuses, since they are women like him too.

[Al Zulfiqar]

Tell you what, why dont you and i start our own little meneej group, just the 2 of us?

.....some things i cook better than her

yes, why not? i have no objections even if the rest of society finds it strange that I with big balls, and you as the other 'person without balls', are being so pally. it will be even more fun since you cook so well and will be doing my khidmat!

i bet most right minded DABR's would want to be thick friends with someone whose pristine toilet-paper-cleaned behind smells so fragrantly of rosewater...

[Al Zulfiqar]

nalwala,

why dont you do another sajda and ask muffy the vampire slayer to pour some rosewater also in your brain? your thought processes now really stink.!

but hold on, what will you contribute for another miracle from muffy after 3 khatnas.....???

[Human]

Yes, in US that's what they call the people who try to spread the truth. Atleast my beliefs are logical and not blind like yours

Spread the truth? Really? you sure its not a bunch of paranoid people trying to subvert the truth?

I'm sure. By the way I'm not a part of the bunch of people you refer to. But I can say with utmost confidence that those bunch of people have more truth in their argument and cause than the blind DB community and their corrupt leader & royal family.

[asad]

AZ/MN

can you please take your rantings against each other in PM. Its becoming quite pathetic in the first place to this read mudslinging contest.

[chokri Bohri]

I like this initiative. Two things I don't like about this -

• Making this almost as compulsion. Forcing everyone participate by calling blessings from Aka Mawla is not a good idea

• Calling this something innovating. While this a great initiative this is not somthing that is new that no other communities have seen. Paris have it from years. I remember eating Malido and Ravo (Parsi dishes) at my friends house that was send to them from Parsi kitchen. Parsi kitchen was sucessful for a while but then it faded away as Parsi community is rich community and would rather select from the menu than just eating what is provided to them. Also they had issues with manpower as the community is small. Aga Khanis have it - They call it Jamat Khana Canteen, Sardars have a simillar thing where they cook food along with thier langar food, as the langars are termed as very important ritual to them, but of the cost is bared by rich people and so this is big hit

[porus]

Tiffin scheme getting a nod from al-Jazeera reporter:

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/asia/201 ... 69732.html

[accountability]

community Kitchen is a very good initiative. Syedi MUffadal Bhai saheb's initiative is commendable. It seems like a real welfare scheme. The good thing about it is, it helps and delivers without hurting anyone's self respect. Everyone subscribing is treated at par and gets the same food.
Quality of food may differ, but yet it feeds. I was talking to my brother in law in karachi, he is in jamat, he said that almost 70% of bohras in karachi are getting tiffins, the cost of tiffin differs according to person's capability to pay. Yet everyone gets the same food. According to him there are more than 15 to 20% bohras who are not contributing or contributing very less.
For most of the down trodden food security is essential, if our community is catering to this most essential of the needs, it will open gates to steady progress.
I believe in socialism, food security is the most basic right of any human being. Unfortunately states are no where near to guarantee this most fundamental right due to raw capatilism practiced everywhere religiously. In this if our community is striving to provide it through this innovative idea. it is a big step in right direction. I hope and wish that it sustains in forseebale future.

in india and pakistan it is very helpful to our needy members, who for the first time are direct beneficiary fo any scheme.

It will also help bohra woman to become more productive and help their families by becoming a wage earner.

Porus some one just emailed me this aljazeera video last nigh,i was about to post it, but you have already done it. it is informative .

[Muslim First]

Br AC

If intention is to feed poor Bohras then why are those who can afford to eat decent meal are forced on this tiffin meals?

Please think about waste of transporting this food especially here in Bosotn. Marqaz is in Boston and some Bohras live 50 miles away, Most of them can afford to cook and eat their own food.

Somebody should make some objective study about this.

[ozmujaheed]

If it was so much for the less fortunate would it not have been better to give them decent ration cards or organize tiffins for a few !

I smell the motive , mind manipulation so people bohris who love free food and women like to do less work think wow maula apnea par ketno ehsan!

I also agree if one takes the carbon cost of shipping food across the cities and the health problems over the years there will be many more regrets

And why make it compulsory,

Such a big activity, was it imams inspiration, a dream or a serious intellectual case looking and commercial and societal pros and cons! I suspect it is now being frantically being justified to make sure people don't object.

[accountability]

Brother MF how are you. keep smiling

well you are right, i do concur there is no or very little need to do this in america or canada or england. and it is not practicable people live far and apart. and ozmujaheed has a point. there should not be forced participation. But having said it all, I do think, that this is a good scheme. our ordinary bohras specially ones with less means are direct beneficiaries. In Pakistan you can not buy food for four in four thousand rupees a month. It is getting very expensive and food is slipping out of hands of poor. Even in India, food cost has risen many times in last ten years. Ordinary bohras in small towns and villages were very much affected.
ozmujaheed, ration card and tiffins for few would not be sustainable. ration cards are not very successful wherever practiced, even india had to abondon it. Tiffins for a few also was not sustainable. You need to have constant flow of material and manpower to sustain the scheme. The more you buy less you pay, some times retail and wholesale cost has twice the difference. I know in Karachi they are directly buying from importers and wholesalers and artis, and labour cost is almost negligable.
Even Bhindi Bazzar project may be good for bhindi bazzar dwellers. It will give them a modern flat in prime area in mumbai, right now their living condition is miserable. though in the end may Qaid Johar bhai saheb will be richer by some 1000 crore rupees. but again if ordinary deserving community members benefit, I would give it a nod.

[humanbeing]

Hi Readers

Some members on this forum has raised an objection with forceful provision of Tiffin system even to those who don’t wish to avail or are primarily well off to afford the ration. I too agree with this point. Providing food to those who are in dire need of assistance and basic security is essential and a fantastic initiative by Kothari leaders.

Different Jamaat are handling this farman in their own ways. It depends on how local leader (amil) handles this scheme either zealously or accommodating requests for non provision. However when I put forward this POV to a sheikh who is a important coordinator in Dabba distribution gave me his logic of enforcing tiffin scheme on rich and well off classes. He mentioned that, initially at the onset of the scheme, everyone is entitled to dabba food to experience the quality and quantity of service provided, thus when contribution is requested from the rich or sundry, they know what is the value, quality and effort going on in providing the community with this service. It would help instill a sense of confidence and involve one and all into this noble act of sharing resources at the community level. This idea incorporates philosophy of “Sawaab ma Shaamil thaao”

Initially, everyone is advised / instructed to avail the Thaali Scheme (as known in Kuwait) for atleast a month, and thereafter if one does not wish to continue they are free to do so. Also in city of Dahod I have observed this voluntary withdrawal from the scheme. In my personal experience I don’t see any force under this scheme.

What I also observed, that donations are requested rather than forced. Once a person has experienced the food service, he / she has more confidence in contributing towards community welfare.

Having experienced the food service by one and all, bring the community together and everyone is aware and connected with welfare scheme going on in the community. Provision of food service to one and all also ensures, there is a sense of equality in treatment and status of bohra mumins. If this scheme gets isolated and identified with only poor and downtrodden class amidst bohra community, then it may lead to invisible attitude of identifying as poor and rich which would harm self esteem of bohra mumin.

One small suggestion I have with this scheme is, jamaat shall use stainless steel tiffin dabbas, rather than plastic disposable packs in wake of being environment friendly.

[asad]

Dabba scheme or Thali as Jamaat wants us to call it has a very big potential of bringing some positive change in the community. every thing is not hunky dory in Bohra parlance and their are spots of acute poverty in major centers of Bohra populace. And as the objective of the scheme is to provide basic meal to every family irrespective of their social status, if it is implemented to T then some very positive outcomes can be expected, as its the objective and core belief of the scheme that it will give relief to women of the family from daily chores of cooking for at least one time a day then they can utilize the time in some financial help to the family in their own capacity.

I have seen the scheme running in my home town and my current abode both places no coercion is seen. No force to avail the thali nor any force for money, but seeing the track record of Kothar this can change very soon. lets hope that this scheme runs in the long course and provide basic food security to Bohra masses.

[ozmujaheed]

I can accept the less fortunate may be benefiting but why force feed the middle and upper class ? And the west where food only takes 10% of the monthly expense. By insisting payment there is no savings infact the cost is higher if one includes transport costs.

And why mix the need to give housewives more time ? This is a bluff, there are many other ways of empowering women? Not by reducing 1 hr of their time, if an efficient housewife only needs 1 hr to cook a healthy meal.

I again ask what is the biggest way a less fortunate can be made to succeed, not making him dependent on handouts but empower one to be self sufficient. Successful charities worldwide train people to become better farmers rather than queue for food. Therefore this is a very short sighted childish strategy only to make adbeds more slaves.

There is no case globally that this is sustainable in the long term and avoid cost blow outs and reduction in quality.

Even in communist china and Russia this was never an option. Capitalism principle if there is no commercial profit tearing there will be no efficiency and with no competition this could be a massive flop in years to come.

[SBM]

but why force feed the middle and upper class ?

who said they are force feeding the upper class? HAVE YOU SEEN THE THAAL AND NOT THAALI AT THE ZIYAFAATS?
if there are many Barkarts and Suabs in this thaali and Dabba according the shaikh who spoke to Br. HB why are the Zaddasa are being
deprived of this Barkart by not serving them Dabba Food during Ziyafats?

[humanbeing]

Hi SBM

Valid point raised. However we all know for reality, the treatment, differentiation and segregation maintained by priestly class. Apart from avoiding food service, they demand separate arrangement during normal jamans, so its not new for priestly class to avoid dabba food.

This is where, the intention, commitment and humility of Kothari elites comes into question. They will boast big humble talks on the takht, but when it comes to practicing this humility they will throw tantrums.

Considering that, we have to accept and live with such biased rulers under social companionship theory, so this food service initiative is better than nothing.

Also frankly speaking, no one is forced or harassed to gulp down food service, one can assertively excuse themselves if they don’t wish to avail the service. This is what I have experienced personally. It would be unfortunate if somewhere else, people are forced, threatened, ridiculed to avail this service, Maximum I have seen is, encouraging people to go for food service as emotional appeal, and some are falling for it too, as they consider it as salawat / barakat nu jaman similar to khaki sheefa. Which would heal them bodily and spiritually, this is normal in our community.

[ANA BOHRI]

Having experienced the food service by one and all, bring the community together and everyone is aware and connected with welfare scheme going on in the community. Provision of food service to one and all also ensures, there is a sense of equality in treatment and status of bohra mumins. If this scheme gets isolated and identified with only poor and downtrodden class amidst bohra community, then it may lead to invisible attitude of identifying as poor and rich which would harm self esteem of bohra mumin.

Brother humanbeing

If what you have mentioned above is true and if they are so concerned about the self esteem of the bohras then why the hell they bifurcate between the poor and the rich while distributing the masalla place aka "front row if you can pay more and rare row if you can't afford to pay more" in masjid and why the hell they have different sets of vessels for shiekh and janab's thal and that of the common ppl.

and if at all they are so concerned about the equality in the community then why the hell they themselves do not subscribe to this scheme.Why Kotharis don't get thali as their lunch?

[ozmujaheed]

If abdes are true to their commitment let us see kothar door knocking to make sure every sick person is accessing the best medical treatment , if funding is an issue the the rich shieks will be forced to contribute, they will door knock to make sure every bohra child is going to the best school available and make sure they get a qualification and given a market salary job after completion.

[profastian]

If abdes are true to their commitment let us see kothar door knocking to make sure every sick person is accessing the best medical treatment , if funding is an issue the the rich shieks will be forced to contribute, they will door knock to make sure every bohra child is going to the best school available and make sure they get a qualification and given a market salary job after completion.

I thought Australia was a capitalist country. Every one is free to do whatever they want with their wealth. Do you pay anything to the kothar? If not, then buzz off.

[ozmujaheed]

Prof stop sidestepping the argument

People mentioned that tifin is to elevate hunger and obtain people to subsidize, ok if I for a moment agree, what about medical treat ment and education? Which year do we expect the scheme to start.

So you confirm that tifin is nothing to do with social charity it is about showering wealth!

[ghulam muhammed]

The latest farman from kothar is that no abde should use the word 'Dabba' but to use the word THALI instead. It seems that they couldnt find any lisan-e-dawat word in their dictionary for this scheme.