Why Is There A Ghee Luggage Limit On Trains?

Over the years there has been a growing appreciation for organic ghee across the world, and there are a lot of people who have adopted the golden-brown coloured clarified butter as their cooking oil of choice instead of olive oil or butter.

However, in India, ghee is a national institution and one of the most used ingredients in the country, only superseded by wheat and rice. It also has sacred significance, used in almost every Hindu religious ceremony.

Because of this, it is perhaps not surprising that the Indian Railways have specific rules about how much you can carry with you when travelling on a train.

According to the rules you can carry up to 20kg of ghee on a train and any more than this is in breach of their policies. Typically the maximum luggage capacity is between 35 and 70kg depending on the ticket purchased, so this is unusual.

Outside of ghee, the other items banned on trains are wet animal skins, empty gas cylinders, inflammable substances, explosives, flammable items, leaves, waste paper, dead poultry and acids.

Ghee is in an unusual place on that list as it is not outright banned but does have a restriction in place, albeit one so large that it is unlikely that an individual would carry 20kg of ghee on a train unless they are buying in bulk.

The reasons for this are primarily to avoid ghee spilling. Ghee is typically a liquid at typical train temperatures, so there is a chance a jar or bottle could spill, which could potentially cause a slip hazard or spoil after a long time.

However, it is much easier to order ghee online in large quantities and have it delivered in pristine quality rather than carrying it through train stations and onto busy trains, which is the much more favourable option.