The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

10 2019 • 12 eature S ome are vegans or vegetarians by choice, others by faith; Raj Kumar Sheth, the president of the Malaysian Vegetarian Society, belongs to the latter group. “Our religion strictly enforces vegetarianism, so my entire family follows a vegetarian diet. We have never tasted meat and eggs. We do consume milk, but I’ve become a vegan since last year,” revealed Raj Kumar during our interview at the quirkily- named WTF Restaurant in Bangsar, which features North Indian and fusion vegetarian cuisine. Raj Kumar and his family are devout followers of Jainism, which has a rich history as one of the ancient Indian religions thriving alongside Hinduism and Buddhism. The teachings of Jainism are based upon the fundamental tenet of disciplined non-violence to all living beings, regardless of size or species. “As followers of Jainism, we’ve been vegetarians for generations. Jains used to follow a strict vegetarian diet that prohibited the consumption of onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables,” informed Raj Kumar, proceeding to elaborate that the tradition of abstaining from root vegetables stemmed from the belief that microorganisms residing in the root vegetables would be destroyed when uprooted from the soil, which defies the core principle of Jainism that advised against the killing of living beings, no matter how miniscule. Some Jains even abstain from fruits and vegetables that contain many seeds, Driving change one meal at a time