Can we sit on the floor and eat?

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

People of my era would automatically say why not the internet or I can say the smart phone! But all these gadgets have good and bad and I am not here for arguing.

So I am going to say I would like to be without the dining table and chairs! In fact I was in 4th standard (grade) when we my Dad purchased a Dining Table for our family.

Even after the purchase my Grandma and my Mom continued eating on the floor. My Dad, Grandpa and us kids would use the table but my Grandma was pretty much comfy sitting on the floor. But I remember wanting to eat with my Mom and Grandma sitting on the floor. It was more of an informal atmosphere and the talk was a lot of gossip. In fact my Dad used to come and sit with us and would find a chutney or some leftovers from two days prior and complain these were not served to the men folk. Yes, the ladies would remember things while they were eating and not when they were serving 😃! It may look like they sacrifice themselves for leftovers but the truth was leftovers tasted better than fresh food 😊!

My maternal parents house never had a Dining Table and chairs and with all of us visiting during summer vacation sitting on the floor and eating was the beat part of vacation. Here too ladies served the men folk first and we kids tried to squeeze with the ladies.

Now here I am, we got an Amish Dining Table custom made and I prefer to sit on the sofa and watch TV to eat my breakfast! Lunch and Dinner it is a compulsion that we eat together.

My husband wouldn’t mind sitting on the floor to eat. But my special one is still a bit more messy and the cleaning is hard. So I prefer the table. Maybe if I make him sit on the floor, he would get trained to sit on the floor and eat? I am not going to put that effort. I am really tired. So yes, Table and chairs are something of a necessity for me! But maybe I would have survived.

Sitting on the floor and eating has it’s healthy benefits and all of you who want to know about it can use the internet and smart phone to learn about it! But for me those dinner times with Mom and Grandma and sitting on the floor and eating are just fun and etched in my memory!

I served lunch on banana leaf the past week for Pongal celebrations but hesitated to serve on the floor.

19 responses to “Can we sit on the floor and eat?”

  1. A memorable custom compromised at the expense of comfort🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Enjoyable indeed! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I never saw the dining table in my childhood, it cropped up only during my college days!
    Your post made me cherish my childhood.
    I always used to think how old people with backache still preferred to sit on the floor and eat!
    I loved your banana leaf saapad, so many items you prepared, how you managed all alone?
    Amazing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. If you use dining table you were sick, was my grandparents thoughts! Btw I was so tired to serve the food I used the table instead of the floor! 😃

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I can understand, since I could see more than 10 items and you must have got up very early.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I had a lot of modern inventions to help me! 😃

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Then things should be easier and family members are lucky when you love cooking😀

        Liked by 1 person

  4. I can sit on a cushion on the floor but it’s so hard to get up from it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That is one huge reason many prefer the dining table! For me it was picking things from the floor! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lol! Very bad for the back.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Yeah, eating is pretty informal in my house. The dining room table is for when the entire family is eating together, usually for some occasion.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Table and chair okay, squatting okay but not sitting in the sofa and taking food that too south indian rasam Chatham and thayir sadham

    Liked by 1 person

    1. We can eat semi liquid food in a bowl with spoon 😄!

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  7. Sitting on the floor and eating with food served on banana leaves is the best. But times change. Even now I enjoys sitting on the floor cross-legged when I am reading. I don’t want to give up that.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. With cold weather a good part of the year, we rarely sit on the floor! It is wonderful you read sitting on the floor.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. The Inner Canvas Collective Avatar
    The Inner Canvas Collective

    Love this. I am always sitting on the floor. People find it weird but it is actually a rooted practice. It provides a sense of connection to the ground, to nature, to the land, to your ancestors. Amazing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You said right! Thanks! 🙏

      Like

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