Bhat-dhara—catching rice: A folk milestone in the development of Bangladeshi children: An investigation of parental beliefs and decision making in introducing young children to family meals Article

Ahmed, NU, Zeitlin, MF. (1994). Bhat-dhara—catching rice: A folk milestone in the development of Bangladeshi children: An investigation of parental beliefs and decision making in introducing young children to family meals . ECOLOGY OF FOOD AND NUTRITION, 32(3-4), 227-238. 10.1080/03670244.1994.9991403

cited authors

  • Ahmed, NU; Zeitlin, MF

authors

abstract

  • This ethnographic study explores bhat-dhara (“catching rice”), a cultural milestone in Bangladesh, indicating the child’s readiness for family meals. Following focus group discussions on bhat-dhara concepts, a household rice allocation rule and child heights were obtained from 30 participating families with children aged 2–9 years. Criteria for bhat-dhara include: eruption of two-year-old molars; ability to walk; carry 1–2 kg weight; name and reach for foods, and self-feed; and a linear appearance. Girls reach bhat-dhara earlier than boys. A two way causal relationship is suggested between malnutrition and late bhat-dhara. The bhat-dhara adaptation may contribute to the following survival mechanisms: protection of infants from cholera through prolonged reliance on breast milk; provision of staple foods for girls to survive toddlerhood despite an ideology that trains them for scarcity; and sanctioning practices that withhold food from weak and unaffordable infants who fail to reach bhat-dhara. © 1994, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • September 1, 1994

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 227

end page

  • 238

volume

  • 32

issue

  • 3-4