Author: Dr Al Muneera J, Dr Sujish S, Jayanthi K

Abstract: Ceremonial eating practices associated with pregnancy and childbirth constitute an important yet underexplored dimension of South Indian cultural life. This study examines the ritualised food traditions observed during prenatal, natal, and postnatal phases in selected communities of Kerala and Karnataka. Drawing on ethnographic observations, oral narratives, and cultural texts, the article analyses how specific food items, preparation methods, and consumption rituals function as symbolic markers of fertility, protection, and social transition. The study highlights regional variations while identifying shared cultural patterns rooted in indigenous medical knowledge, caste and community norms, and gendered domestic practices. It further explores how these ceremonial food practices serve as sites of intergenerational knowledge transmission and cultural continuity. In the context of rapid socio-economic change, medicalisation of childbirth, and shifting family structures, the article discusses the transformation and gradual erosion of traditional food rituals. The study argues that ceremonial eating practices not only reflect cultural beliefs surrounding motherhood and reproduction but also embody a broader system of social care, identity formation, and community solidarity in Kerala and Karnataka.

Keywords: Ceremonial food practices; Pregnancy rituals; Childbirth traditions; Kerala; Karnataka; Food symbolism; Maternal health beliefs; Cultural continuity

Article Info: Received: 14 May 2026; Received in revised form: 11 Jun 2026; Accepted: 14 Jun 2026; Available online: 17 Jun 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.113.66