The Vegan Journey of Astha Gupta | VBI #015

Astha Gupta is a graduate in Law. For the past three years, she has been vegan and an animal rights activist. She has been associated with an animal rights NGO, ‘Vegan Outreach’, for the past 2 years. Singing and playing synthesizer make her day great.

What made you go vegan?

I was a vegetarian since birth because of my love for animals and also because of my family. I used to call myself a proud vegetarian as I used to think that I am not killing any animal for my food. But when I came to know the truth about dairy, I was in shock and I thought that there was no use of me being a vegetarian as well. That very moment I went vegan. I have been living in Pune and am part of the Pune activism group. I joined an animal rights NGO, ‘Vegan Outreach’, 2 years ago. Since then, I have been a full-time activist.

How did your activism journey start? 

Three years ago, I got to know that there is an event related to animals happening in Pune. I did not know about veganism before that. Because I have always been a huge animal lover since childhood, I just wanted to attend that event. There I met so many vegans from whom I got to know about the cruelty in the dairy industry and how it works. I used to be a proud vegetarian until I came to know about all this; and that very day, I decided that I am not going to consume dairy. On that day, I started doing activism as well. I started attending more such events, I started organising events too. Then, one year later, I got an opportunity to work with Vegan Outreach. Right now, I am doing independent activism along with Pune activists, and also as a part of ‘Vegan Outreach’.

Tell us more about your experience at ‘Vegan Outreach’.

The experience is really great. Earlier I used to volunteer with various activism groups like FIAPO or Pune group. After that, I joined ‘Vegan Outreach’ and I got a full-time platform for my activism. We do sessions in schools and colleges as well. Before that, I had never done such kind of activism. I had never done a session all alone in colleges before joining ‘Vegan Outreach’. It has been an amazing journey. I have learnt a lot of new things. During the journey of veganism, you keep learning new things. For the first few months, I was part of street activism and leafletting. For the past 1.5 years, I have also started giving lectures and presentations in colleges.

What is your approach during activism?

As an activist, our main goal is to make people aware as much as possible and not force anything upon them. We need to think from their perspective as well because, at one point, we were also in the same situation. Many times, people have genuine doubts that they want to clear. Whenever I am doing any kind of outreach, not just lectures or presentations, the first thing I tell them is about animal cruelty. We ask a few questions to them and from their answers, we get to know if they love animals or they care more about the environment or something else. First, I focus on animal cruelty because that is the core aspect of veganism.

If I feel that they don't care about animals at all, I try to move on to topics related to the environment. I tell them how much it affects the environment as well. If someone is into fitness and health, I tell them about that. However, if someone is an animal lover, I focus much more on that aspect. Personally, I would like to make them aware through the animal torture and cruelty outlook.

How do you deal with people who are against it?

In every outreach, at least one or more people are like that and we cannot blame them. It is the social conditioning they are trapped in and they don’t want to change. Even if they get to know the cruelty that animals endure, they tell themselves that it is their choice. What I do is inform them about each and every part, give them all the logic. If someone is against animal cruelty, I add the health and environment perspective too. We cannot force them to go vegan. However, we can inform them about all the facts. I don’t blame them for their unawareness or for contributing to the suffering. If we approach them in that way, it will turn them away from veganism.

I make sure that all their doubts are cleared. Maybe, they might not change now but in the future, at some point, they might think about it. Many times, people think about it themselves if it is in the back of their mind. It might also make them research more about it. Even if they are saying that they don't want to change, they are against it, I tell them that I can totally understand it because I was in your situation at one point in time. It is not that easy for people to hear anything against the food they have been consuming from their birth.

Are there any moments you cherish being an activist? 

Definitely. First of all, going vegan was the best thing. You know that you are now causing the least harm and not supporting it directly. While doing outreach, we get to know so many people. We get to know their views and meet many inspiring people. There are so many activists who have turned vegan in the past few months and are doing a great job. I get to learn from them too. Sometimes I feel a little guilty that some activists in Pune have been doing activism for so long and how I couldn't get in touch with them earlier.

Now I feel really good that I turned vegan and have been able to be part of organising so many good events where people can learn more about veganism. We have done various types of events. Both as a part of ‘Vegan Outreach’ and Pune Activism group, I have been able to be part of such outreaches. The best part about veganism and my vegan journey is that I am able to help animals by making people aware of it. Now, people are changing and from our side what we can do is make more people aware of it.

How is the response of people in the outreach?

It is really good. I can say that, out of 100 people, hardly 10-15 people don't love animals. Rest of them are animal lovers or at least they love cats and dogs. This makes them connect with other animals as well when the facts are put forward. They don't get to see the blood and cruelty in their usual life. When we show them, they really get connected with it.

When we do outreaches in public places, there are so many people to reach out to. Most of them have not heard about veganism. They do say that they will think about it. Many of them even revert back to us. They appreciate the work we are doing and thank us for telling them about the info. It's good when people say this. Some of them even join us in activism as well.

How has been your experience in college lectures?

The response in colleges is very good. There are many people like me who had never heard about the term ‘vegan’. When I go to colleges and talk to students, they themselves say that this is something really bad that is happening around us. They come to us for more info and many of them go vegan. It's not their fault if people don't know about it because all these things happen behind the scenes. 

You mentioned that during the transition, it was especially difficult dealing with friends and family. How did you overcome that?

As I said, I had been a vegetarian since birth. So my friends who were non-vegetarians always used to make fun of me. When I turned vegan, they started making even more fun of me because I stopped consuming dairy products. During the first few months, it was difficult for me. I used to clarify to them and tell my reason for going vegan. I can’t force my family and friends to go vegan but I definitely used to explain everything to them. Even though some of my friends are not vegan, they have stopped making fun of me and do respect my decision. When we go for hangouts, they make sure to check if vegan options are there or not. My family has also cut down dairy consumption. 

What is the one message you would like to give all vegans?

Being vegan is not enough because if we went vegan for a reason, if we want to save the animals and environment, then we have to do more wherever possible. If we are glad that someone informed us of veganism that helped us transition, then we have to inform others as well.

If you are vegan, you should also try to do activism in some way or the other. There are so many forms of activism, everyone need not be full-time activists or do street activism. You can do it online as well, share good resources on your social media profiles or WhatsApp. I have seen that even putting WhatsApp status works. At least people in your contact would get to know.

For all the vegans and activists, I say keep fighting for the cause and don't get disappointed. People around us might be using animal products, and you might not feel motivated. If we keep doing activism and making people aware, the change will come!

And a message to non vegans...

The animals are on this planet to live happily and without any kind of fear. If you can't help them, please don't harm them. Please go vegan.

 

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The Vegan Journey of Naimita Jagasia | VBI #014

She is a sushi obsessed vegan pastry chef and recipe developer. She has been in this field for almost 3 years now and presently founder of the bakery An Ode to Gaia. Tofu, her kitten, loves to explore just as much as she does. When she is not travelling she enjoys spending time in the studio developing recipes.

What made you go vegan? How was your transition?

I was working out a lot and I just wanted a fitter body, muscles and whatnot. It was around 2015 when I was looking for the healthiest way to fuel my body. Since I am lactose intolerant, I wasn't consuming dairy products for a year already. In addition to this, I had read about how a dairy farm works and the torture happening there. It was already in the back of my mind that if I can quit dairy, I can quit other animal products too. My whole life, I always wanted to become vegetarian or vegan. But I didn't have the strength to take the plunge. I was very young and being in boarding school, I never had a lot of options. Later, when I moved to London, I became dairy-free. There were a lot of alternatives and it didn't feel like a chore because I didn't always have time to make things at home, so it was quite easy to become vegan while at university. 

I started with one vegan meal a day. I watched Earthlings, Cowspiracy and other documentaries. Even after watching all that, it took me a lot of time to do it. For me, it wasn't an overnight thing. During one week, all the breakfasts would be vegan. Then, another week I would have all vegan lunches. Gradually, I started having a lot more vegan meals. Then I considered becoming a pescetarian, but it just didn’t feel right. That was the time I realised it’s either vegan or nothing. 

Another excuse for me to not go vegan was nutrition and protein sources. I educated myself about it. I didn't feel good about eating meat, both mentally and physically. It felt morally wrong. So with enough research and meal prepping, I finally took the plunge. This June marks four years of me being vegan and I feel really incredible. 

I am vegan because an animal's life is not mine to take, especially for something as trivial as palate pleasure. I am vegan because the Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth. By only taking, and not giving back we have reached a crisis point in terms of species extinction, climate change and our health. I am vegan because it is my moral responsibility as someone who can afford it, who can advocate for it and as someone who has the physical capabilities to buy and cook plant-based. 

How was it once you moved back to India?

It was really difficult because my family used to eat meat and dairy. I discovered brands like Sofit and Break of Dawn and started buying those products. Even my parents started using it. When I finally moved back for good in 2017, I was already vegan for more than a year. In the beginning, it was pretty difficult because I moved to a whole new country after a long period. I had to discover new brands, new supermarkets etc. I started experimenting more. I made my own cheese, white sauce pasta, cheesecake etc. Then brands like Cowvathi, SoftSpot Cheese also began. Over time, it became easier. I found Rare Earth and that changed my life. I discovered so many amazing vegan brands there. Nowadays, even your regular supermarkets have Tofu, soy milk, almond milk etc.

How was it in the family?

It was quite a bit of struggle. My grandma was a strict vegetarian. Whenever she used to see me eating meat, she would literally cry at times and taunt me a lot. After turning vegan she was very happy but she still consumes dairy. Now, I’m the one who educates her about the horrors of dairy. She knows I’m right, however, it’s been a difficult journey convincing my family since they are so accustomed to dairy. 

It's quite difficult to see my family not adopting the lifestyle, especially since we cook a lot at home and it’s not difficult to access vegan meat alternatives. It bothers me a lot when I see people talking about climate change and still consuming meat and dairy even after knowing about the atrocities committed by such industries. Many people don't even try to be vegetarian, let alone vegan.

Now, I have a lot of amazing friends and family who are making the effort to educate themselves and try more vegan meals. Even if they aren’t fully vegan, they are on the way to being. That's the most important part for me. 

What is your approach while advocating for veganism?

The reason behind starting my brand is to spread the word about veganism. Before that, I was doing activism on the streets and among friends and family. If someone brings up the topic of global warming or pollution, I would tell them how veganism is one of the major ways to handle the climate crisis. I realised that many people want to go vegan but they question what to eat.

We can't tell someone to go vegan without giving them an option. Not everyone wants to eat whole food. Some folks want to continue eating sugary desserts or chicken nuggets etc. If we can give them a healthier alternative, and no death involved, then I'm sure many would go for that. That's why I started making vegan desserts at home. I would often invitel my non-vegan friends for dinner and I would keep cook dishes like chicken Biryani or mutton Biryani, sausages, kheema etc. But everything was vegan and they didn't know. That's how I introduced mock meat, dairy-free cheese and yoghurt to my friends. Even on festive occasions, I would make vegan alternatives at home. I made various things like cheesecake, puddings, etc. That inspired me to create my brand and introduce vegan versions of dairy and egg heavy desserts. 

Tell more about your brand.

Right now it is a traditional bakery making desserts like macarons, celebration cakes, cookies and the likes.  I was making cheesecakes and cupcakes just for myself  when I started attending vegan potlucks to meet other like minded people. There was one particular potluck where I took an oreo cheesecake. The folks there were obsessed with it. Nobody was making vegan cheesecakes at that time. It was 3 years ago, around 2017. Everybody was making raw cheesecake or super healthy food. I think there are many folks like me, who dont always choose health, but choose the occasional indulgent options too.

That’s when I  started experimenting with other desserts like cakes and macarons. I would take them to potlucks and I also used to post online. I was very much into food styling as well. Gradually I started getting orders almost every day. At that time I was doing it as a way to pass time. Then I had an exhibition at Otters club in Bandra and invited all the vegans I knew.. So many people came to the stall, a lot of people whom I've never met before. I sold out before anybody else, and that was truly truly surprising to me. Vegans here wanted a standard bakery experience like Monginis or Theobroma and indulge in rich desserts. No one goes to a bakery for healthy stuff. While I do have healthy desserts the focus was on indulgent desserts. And I think that’s the reason I have so many non-vegan customers too. 

Most of my non-vegan customers don't even know that my products are vegan. When the box reaches them, there is a little vegan symbol on it. They call me, shocked and surprised that I didn’t disclose it’s vegan, however, once they eat it their minds change instantly. I don't explicitly say vegan anywhere on my website or instagram so as to not alienate the non vegan customers. 

What is the reason or the strategy behind this?

I have realised that the word vegan turns people away. They see that if something is vegan, then it is not for them. People don't realise that vegan means any person can eat it, not just a vegan. If someone gives you Jain Pav Bhaji, you won't say, “I'm not Jain so I can't eat this”. I want to attract non-vegan customers more so that they look at veganism from a different angle. They should not perceive it in a threatening way. When people realise what veganism truly is, it becomes difficult for them to accept all the violence they contributed to. That’s why there is so much resistance from folks. The guilt and the shame, all the things I felt too, before I made the connection. 

So when you provide them with something delicious and plant-based, they’re more likely to start introducing more vegan options. 

Doesn't it become difficult for a vegan to get to know about your brand?

Vegans read ingredients everywhere. Even if something says vegan I read the ingredients. And I think most vegans do that. That's why I mention all the ingredients. When I have to target vegans, I also post about my products in vegan specific groups. Also, I talk a lot about vegan related topics be it animal rights, veganuary and various other things on my social media. 

I also post various free recipes and teach workshops. When people ask me if they don't have almond milk, can they substitute it with cow milk, I always say no, cow milk doesn't work in this recipe and I don't recommend using it for so and so reason. So there is some activism as well as education in the way I conduct my workshops too. 

Share your ups and downs in your bakery journey.

Overall it has been great. My brand is steadily growing. I haven't done any advertisement yet and everything so far has grown organically. Right from the beginning, a few main things that I have been doing are constantly posting on Instagram, sharing quality dishes which are aesthetically pleasing as well as delicious. I share recipes too. I have also been featured in a couple of magazines and newspapers. All this has helped my brand organically and steadily grow. It has also helped people see that veganism doesn't mean only eating veggie bowls or flaxseed crackers and jowar cakes. They can also have cheesecake, they can have macarons, puddings, entremets etc. 

There have been some downs too. I wanted to make certain desserts but because it's vegan, there is no high fat  vegan butter and cream available in india. That makes it difficult to replicate a lot of dairy and cream rich desserts. The other reason is it's really hot here, and most vegan butters melt fast. That's why delivery becomes an issue which I am always working to improve. I’ve also been developing an E-commerce platform which will make bookings and orders a smoother and quicker process. 

Your brand name ‘An Ode to Gaia’ is quite curious. What’s the story behind it?

I didn't want to include the word vegan as well as Earth because so many brands have that in their names. But I wanted to talk about Earth because ultimately everything I do is for the Earth. So it just came to me that Gaia is the goddess of Earth.  In my school days, I'd read a book called Revenge of Gaia. It was about natural disasters, climate change and how Earth fights back. Then I thought, I am vegan and my brand is vegan. It is a dedication to the Earth to be better. That's why I  named it “An Ode to Gaia”. I know I could have chosen an easier two-syllable word, but this name feels apt now. My packaging also has slogans which say that earth is not ours to use. Even my customers read and realise this thought. We coexist with other animals and plants. We don't own it.

Because of arguments with friends and family, you might question your decision. What one thought keeps you up?

That I am working for a better future. The earth has given me all the things I have ever wanted. I have to do right by the Earth, the animals and myself. It's my duty to right my wrongs. My wrongs being that for so many years I wasn't vegan and it took me so long to do it. I have to undo the damage I did and make sure that I leave a better planet for the future generations. That's what keeps me going.

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