Raw Vegan Retirement Party In Punjab For Over 600 Guests

 If you thought Punjab was all about ghee, lassi and butter, think again! A father-son duo in Punjab recently organised a first-of-its-kind retirement party: a feast made up of only raw vegan foods!

The Retiree

The Living Food party was thrown by Deepak Ashwani for his father, HR Ashwani who retired from his job at Kapurthala Rail Coach factory, where he served from 1996 to 2020. Prior to that, he served in the Indian Air Force, from 1979 to 1994. And, since 2002, he has been volunteering as a yoga teacher.

Apart from being a celebration of Mr. Ashwani’s life, the party was also part of something larger – Mission Healthy Punjab 2025, an initiative to get people in the state to eat healthier by embracing a more plant-centric diet. 

The whole thing was conceived by Deepak – he thought his father’s retirement was the perfect opportunity to spread health awareness.  The event saw a health seminar from Atul Shah of Ojas Life, Mumbai, (a health and well-being non-profit) followed by the Living Food Party. 21 volunteers from India and Europe joined in to learn Raw Indian Vegan Recipes. Some of favorites were Cauliflower rice biryani, Raw kebabs made from spinach and poha powder, Coconut Kadhi. 

Why Raw?

For Deepak, it was a no-brainer. The best way to get people to see and feel the benefits of a raw diet was to have them experience it first-hand. This gave people a chance to see how filling living food can be, how it is easily digested compared to cooked food and how living food is the most natural diet for humans.

Deepak says that initially, it was a challenge to get everyone on board with the idea of a raw vegan banquet – but he kept the larger picture and the goal of good health in mind and managed to execute it.

On The Menu

All the dishes were curated and designed by Manisha Patel and Ghanshyam Patel from team Ojas Life. Here’s what the partygoers ate:

• Sugarcane Juice
• Herbal Tea
• Tomato Chutney
• Coconut Chutney
• Hara Bhara Kabaab
• Stuffed Capsicum
• Stuffed Tomato
• Raw Biryani
• Thai Salad with raw papaya
• Turnip Soup
• Til Halwa
• Beetroot Halwa

And the best part? Everyone enjoyed the food – and no one missed cooked food! Says Mr Ashwani, "I'll always remember this memorable health seminar as my retirement gift. I convey my special thanks to Shri Atul Shah ji and all dedicated members of Ojas Life and the 21 volunteers who made me feel so blessed, with Deepak's innovative idea for having such a unique programme with delicious living food. Thank you once again." Mr. JagMohan adds, " Yesterday was a golden day, everyone enjoyed the vegan food. We continued to eat raw the next day too."

It sure looks like raw vegan food is gaining ground in India. Would you consider hosting a raw vegan buffet at your next celebration? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Credits: Deepak Ashwani

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