Food, memory, and cultural experiences of displaced Kashmiri Pandits

The experience of being uprooted from one's homeland is a pervasive issue that affects the displaced at every turn, accompanied by the profound loss of cultural identity, traditions, and culinary practices. The Kashmiri Pandit's loss of their homeland and the traditions, cuisine, and culture have been an integral part of their identity. The study employs Jon D. Holtzman's theoretical framework on Food and Memory, which elucidates that food is a powerful and pervasive locus of memory, alongside Maurice Halbwachs′ concept of communal memory, which explicitly posits that although certain families may share memories, substantial differences persist among the distinct experiences of each family or group. An interpretative phenomenological approach was employed to analyze twelve Jammu-based Kashmiri Pandit case studies. The findings indicate that patterns and linkages underlying the case studies are essential in comprehending the diverse aspects in which Kashmiri Pandits are affected by their culinary memories. The study concludes that food significantly influences the evocation of repressed or forgotten memories of their homeland, as interpreted by chosen individuals from the Kashmiri Pandit group.