Temple Foods are finding place in not just homes but also restaurants as foodies and gourmands rediscover its myriad charms.

Food served as prasad in temples may seem commonplace in India, however, dig a little deeper and it opens a whole new spectrum of cuisine that is as mind boggling as it is diverse. Of course, it all comes with a touch of spirituality too that adds to its mysticism.  In India, temple food has always held a special place in the hearts of those who have a religious bent of mind.

K.T. Achaya in his book ‘The Illustrated Foods of India’, says, “it is usual in the Hindu temple to prepare foods that are first offered to the deities and left in their presence for a while to satiate this spiritual hunger. Thereafter, the food becomes a sanctified prasad which is distributed or even sold to the assembled devotees. In South India the Padmanabhaswami temple, in Thiruvanthapuram has a special avial that uses traditional vegetables, fresh coconut and coconut oil and no mustard seeds

Read the full story that first appeared on Seema magazine April 2021 issue here: