Amid lockdown, Anand Mahindra appreciates the use of banana leaves as dining plates at his factory

With all sorts of single-use plastics and such non-degradable substances given up their work in public utilities, most of us have now taken a step back to those ancient days when food served in banana leaves was scrumptiously devoured.

In a recent post by Anand Mahindra, the business mogul shows how he has unhesitatingly and readily welcomed the idea of serving food to his workers on banana leaves.

"A retired journalist, Padma Ramnath mailed me out of the blue & suggested that if our canteens used banana leaves as plates, it would help struggling banana farmers who were having trouble selling their produce," writes Mahindra. "Our proactive factory teams acted instantly on the idea...Thank you!" he mentioned.

With the national lockdown announced on behalf of the incessantly wide spreading novel coronavirus, the banana farmers, like most of the other agriculture workers, have been suffering hard.

Unable to sell the leaves in markets due to the abandoning of all sorts of public functions – marriage, temple festivals, etc the farmers were left of no way than to bear the loss.

Noticing this hard time, Ramnath must have asked Mahindra to make use of the banana leaves as serving plates to feed his workers and staff currently in job. Unquestionably, the business giant has shown us a lesson to be imbibed.

Banana leaves, not a new face!

Since ancient times, particularly in South India, people have been eating on banana leaves. In states like Kerala, most of the special occasions like marriages, temple festivals, and even in hotels, traditional meals are served in these plantation leaves.

The most eco-friendly means of managing public feast events, usage of banana leaves instead of plates have no cons save the fact that it cannot be reused, well, should not be reused!

Maybe its time that for us too, to sternly do away with the usage of eating in single use plates and switch to this healthy option.

After all, banana leaves are very large and can accommodate a complete meal in a single unit. You don't have to miss the chance of an everyday 'sadhya' now!