In Hinduism, taking prasad from the temple is equivalent to taking God’s blessings. Generally, what do you usually expect as prasad in a temple? Some sweets like laddoo or jalebi, right? Well, while there are many iconic prasad offered, many temples in India offer unusual prasad, such as Chinese, meat, and alcohol. Yes, we are not kidding at all. Keep reading to know more about these iconic temple prasads.
India’s Most Iconic Temple Prasads
Makhan Mishri, Shree Banke Bihari Temple (Vrindavan)
Shree Banke Bihari temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan is one of the most iconic temples in India. The serves a unique prasad to all the devotees, Makhan Mishri. Makhan Mishri is a combination of crystallised sugar with freshly churned butter, which is considered to be young Lord Krishna’s favorite. This prasad is known as the most beloved offering to Krishna.
Meat, Kalighat Temple (Kolkata)
Kalighat temple in Kolkata is one of the oldest temples in India. It is 200 years old and is known to be one of the 51 Shaktipeeths. Unlike other Hindu temples, this temple offers meat as prasad to the devotees. Many devotees come here and sacrifice a goat; the meat is later given as prasad to the devotees.
Mahaprasad, Jagannath Temple (Puri)
The Mahaprasad, also known as Anna Brahma, is a grand fest that comprises 56 dishes. All these dishes are cooked by Brahmins in clay pots over a wood fire. It is considered to be very sacred and is distributed among the devotees after it is offered to Lord Jagannath as Bhog. The dishes made as Mahaprasad blend spirituality with local culinary heritage in the most beautiful way.
Chinese Dishes, Chinese Kali Temple (Kolkata)
The Chinese community of Kolkata created this only Chinese temple in Kolkata. The temple is a reflection of Kolkata’s cosmopolitan culture. Here, Chinese-style food dishes like fried rice and noodles (popularly called Chow Mein) are offered to the goddess Kali and later distributed among the devotees as prasad. It is one of the few temples in India that offer non-conventional prasad.
Appam and Aravana Payasam, Sabrimala Ayyappa temple (Kerala)
Sabrimala Ayyappa temple is one of the most iconic temples in India. Here, they offer appams, which are soft rice pancakes, and Aravana Payasam, which is a sweet coconut jaggery pudding. These extremely comforting dishes reflect the beauty of Kerala’s rich culture and tradition.
Banarsi Paan, Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi)
Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of the most revered temples across India and the world. It is a part of the temple’s daily worship ritual where they offer betel leaf preparation or Banarsi paan to god. This same offering is then distributed to all the devotees. Banarsi pan, as we all know, is deeply embedded in the culture of Varanasi, making the prasad even more special.
Summing up
Every prasad offered at every temple is more than just a food item. It has deep cultural significance and is known to be a blessing through taste and traditions. So if you happen to visit these or any temple in India, make sure you do not miss on the divine blessing: the prasad!
