India, Nov. 27 -- A picnic is an act shaped by ideas about nature and culture, food and taste, beauty and ethics, and community and solitude. To picnic is not just to eat certain foods, but to enjoy them in a chosen setting that feels aesthetically pleasing, and to share that meal in a way shaped by particular social norms.

In November 1926, a group of female volunteers from Mahila Seva Mandal, a subsidiary of the Social Service League of Bombay, visited Pune. During their stay, they toured several girls' schools and interacted with the women employees at Sassoon Hospital. They stayed at the "Sevasadan" hostel.

At the end of their Pune visit, these volunteers arranged an "Avalibhojan", an outdoor feast where men, women, and children sat...