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Celebrities are turning vegan like never before. But what about Banglaoreans who are vegan by birth?

Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle that strives to exclude the use of any animal product for nourishment or for any other purpose. Vegans

are different from vegetarians in the sense that they do not consume eggs, dairy products, honey and gelatin. They do not use silk, wool, leather, beeswax and the like. They believe that humans exploit animals in the name of domestication and that animal farming is hazardous to the environment.

What makes vegans practice this rigorous lifestyle? 23-year-old Arun, who works in the IT sector asks, "Why not veganism? If you care about issues like animal exploitation, environment and your health then veganism is the way to go. A well-planned vegan diet is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain forms of cancer and diabetes. Besides, your actions help shape the world. It is a conscious choice I made in order to be compassionate to animals and the environment. It is a matter of ideals and conviction."

In certain elitist circles it is considered 'hip' to be a vegan. Celebrities vegans like Maneka Gandhi, Paul Mc Cartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bryan Adams, Alicia Silverstone, Pamela Anderson have helped popularise vegan lifestyle. However, the average Indian still views veganism as an aberration. ... Considering the fact that tens of billions of animals are killed every year for human purposes, perhaps veganism is not that preposterous an idea.

"It is indeed a very simple equation. If you take care of nature, nature will take care of you," proclaims Manish Jain, an active member of the Indian Vegan Group.

-- read full article: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/May262008/metromon2008052569991.asp