Varakh (silver foil)

[Guest guest]

We received the following email which suggests that 'Varakh'

or the silver foil used to decorate Indian sweets is prepared

by the use of cows intestines. We do not know how accurate this

information is but the list members may wish to investigate this further.

 

Vivekananda Centre London

 

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A couple of years ago, Indian Airlines, the domestic air-carrier of

India had issued instructions to its suppliers to supply sweet without

silverfoil called VARAKH. Do you know why?

 

The silver foils used for edible purposes is called VARAKH So

what's so special about VARAKH? This is what I would like to

bring to your notice. If you keenly observe this VARAKH under a

microscope don be perturbed if you happen to see traces of blood,

stools and saliva of a cattle or ox.

 

VARAKH is a silver foil and we have no second questions on this,

but to prepare this VARAKH important parts of the CATTLE/OX is

made use of.

 

Intestines are cut into small pieces and then are bound together

as pages in a notebook. A silver block is placed in the middle of

these bound intestines, and the whole thing is placed in a leather

bag and sealed. Experts, who know how to make VARAKH, pound

the bag with wooden sticks, till the entire bag flattens out. The silver

block would by this time be turned into silver foil. This Silver foil

would now be separated from the intestine pack and will be placed

on paper. This is VARAKH, which reaches the market ready for use.

 

Even staunch vegetarians, who shy away from egg, unknowingly

consume this as a part of sweet, pan and arecanut. Some unknowingly

consume this because of the additional taste that VARAKH provides.

Now the question is " Why the intestines of the cattle/ox? Why not

something else? " The reason behind using the intestines of the cattle/ox for

preparing the VARAKH is because of the elasticity of the intestines.

They do not get cut even after a severe pounding.

 

This aspect is brought out in the magazine " Beauty without cruelty "

and the Television show of Maneka Gandhi, " Heads and Tails " .

<source quoted as> Taranga, a weekly magazine in Kannada.