When Niranjan Amarnath was a class 12 student, he saw a butcher dragging a lamb across a road to the slaughter house, almost choking the madly bleating animal. This image left an indelible mark in Niranjan’s mind, and he vowed to never eat meat again. He, in fact, went a step further by adopting a vegan lifestyle, which he has followed till date. “I have been a vegan for the last 13 years. I don’t consume any food item that has animal products in them. Veganism is not only about altered food habits, it’s also about living a life, free of cruelty,” explained Niranjan, during a recent vegan potluck dinner, organised by Vegan in Chennai, a group of vegans active on Facebook, in collaboration with Veg Voyages, a vegan adventure tour company. Forty-five people from both groups were at the dinner. Vegans like Niranjan stay connected with each other through various social media platforms. Vegan in Chennai, a Facebook page with over 1000 vegans from Chennai as members, is one such platform. Activities by this group include helping beginners get started on veganism and updating others about new trends. Members meet offline through potluck meals that are held four times a year. “We have a motley group of people coming from different walks of life. We have been conducting these potluck sessions for the last five years. Many people bring payasam made from coconut milk, panniyarams and other vegan-friendly delicacies. We also have debates and discussions on the morals aspect of veganism,” says Niranjan, a resident of Anna Nagar and editor and publisher of Veg Planet, a vegan magazine that will be launched in March 2017. Veg Voyages organises 23 tours in five different countries throughout the year. “We got in touch with Vegan in Chennai as we wanted the members on the tour to meet new people, learn more about veganism as it is followed in different cultures and explore their vegan cuisine firsthand. Three years ago, there were only 15 people. This year, there is a huge increase in the number of people attending the potluck session,” says Zac Lovas, head organiser of Veg Voyages South India tour, which is expected to take place in 2018. Sagar Seth, whose New Year resolution was to graduate to ‘vegan’ from ‘vegetarian’, was a happy soul when he discovered an vegan alternative to the curd at the potluck dinner.

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