#AadiPooram and #Srivilliputhur #templestories 8 and the #story of #Andal

We set off from Madurai to the Srivilliputhur Andal temple in Virudhunagar district.  The temple is located at a distance of around 80 Kms from Madurai and takes about one and half to two hours to reach. The sight of the extremely beautiful temple tower (gopuram) signaled that we had arrived at our destination. Interestingly, this 192 feet tall, 11 tiered imposing Raja Gopuram is featured on the emblem of Tamil Nadu indicative of the importance accorded to the temple as one of the 101 Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Mahavishnu.

Raja Gopuram

The temple has been in existence since ages and is also associated with the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi as Andal (also known as Kothai or Godha). So it is a two in one temple complex with shrines to Vatapatrasayana Perumal and Andal separately.

The original deity is Lord Vatapatrasayana Perumal. We enter a huge hall and have to climb a flight of steps to reach the main sanctum sanctorum. 

On the way to the sanctum sanctorum

There are three doorways through which one can have the divine darshan of the Lord in a reclining posture on the Adishesha with his consorts, Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Sage Brighu is standing near the Lord while Sage Markandeya is praying with folded hands reverently at his feet. 

Perumal Sannidhi

There are also images of Narada, Panchamurthis, Sanatkumara, Surya and Chandra, apart from Villi and Puttan.

Way to Andal Sanctum

There is a garden in the middle where Andal is said to have appeared as an infant near a Tulsi plant and was found by Periazhwar. This is called Andal avatharitha Nandavanam. The temple tank in called Mukkulam and is believed to have the holy waters of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi.

The entrance to the Andal temple has a huge Mandapam.

Entrance to Nandavanam where Andal made her first appearance

 The deity of the Goddess is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is a Kalyana Mandapam and Madhavi Pandhal  a little further away. 

Andal Sannidhi

The story of Andal is an exceptional example of devotion.  

The great devotee, Periazhwar, had no children. Once on the day of Aadi Pooram, he found an infant girl child near the holy Tulsi plant in the temple. With the permission of the Lord, he adopted the girl child and named her Kothai/ Godha meaning a garland of flowers. He brought her up with love and affection. Periazhwar used to pluck flowers and tulsi leaves from the garden and weave a garland for Lord Vatapatrasayee with his own hands. He would then present it to the Lord. Kothai used to observe this and help him. One day when Periazhwar left her for a few minutes before leaving for the temple, she had a strange desire to wear the garland. She wore it and then removed it before her father came back. Without knowing that Kothai had worn the garland, Periazhwar offered it to the priest for Lord Mahavishnu.  Kothai started wearing the garland and admired herself every day after that before her father took it to the temple. But one day the priest happened to see a strand of hair in the garland. He was furious. He refused to offer it to the deity. Periazhwar was stunned and sad at the turn of events. He kept a secret watch over the garland and found to his dismay that it was his daughter, Andal, who was wearing the garland before he took it to the temple. He was very angry with her and discarded the garland. He then made another garland to be offered to the Lord. That night he had a dream when Mahavishnu said that he would accept only the garland worn by Andal. This happened when the child was just five years old. 

Andal grew up and her father wanted to search for a suitable bridegroom for her. But Andal’s mind was fixed on her Shri Krishna. Her devotion to the Lord was unshakable. Then it was that the Lord appeared once again in Periazhwar’s dream and bade him bring Andal dressed as a bride to Srirangam. It is believed that, when Andal was taken in wedding procession and reached Srirangam, she just entered the sanctum and merged with the Lord.  

The festivals celebrated at this temple are Aadi Pooram, GodhaRangamannarThirukalyanam, Vasanta utsavam, Brahmotsavam etc.

#Andal #AadiPooram #festival #Srivilliputhur #temple #GodhaRangamannar 

#Aadi month, #BhagavathiSevai and delicious #NeiPayasam

During the Aadi masam, it is common for people to perform Bhagavathi Sevai puja at their homes to worship the Goddess mother. The priest (Vadhyar) draws the Padmam himself and decorates it with yellow turmeric powder and red Kumkumam. The vilakkus (either two or three as per the tradition of each house) are then decorated with flower garlands, chandanam(sandal paste) and kumkumam. They are filled with ghee and lit. The puja starts with the invocation of Lord Ganesh. This is followed by invocation of Goddess Parashakthi. Lalitha Sahasranamam, Lalitha Thrisithi Mantram, Durga Sooktham, and some chapters from the Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Sapta Shathi) are chanted, while offering various types of flowers to the Goddess.  The atmosphere is divine and one can actually feel the presence of the Devi when the puja is performed with sincerity and devotion. 

There are two neivedyams offered during this puja, the delicious Nei Payasam and Ulundu Vadai. The neivedhyam is then offered as prasadam to all those who are attending the puja.

Here is the recipe for the Nei Payasam

Ingredients

Raw Rice – 250 gms.

Jaggery - 1 Kg.

Ghee – ½ Kg

Cardamom – 6-8 crushed to powder

Fresh coconut – finely sliced ½ cup

Method of Preparation

First sauté the thinly sliced coconut pieces in ghee till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

Wash the rice well and cook.

Powder the jaggery/vellam/gud (you can use powdered vellam available in grocery stores). Take the jaggery in water just enough to dissolve in a thick bottomed vessel or Kadhai.

Boil it till all the jaggery melts and dissolves into syrup. Strain for impurities.

Add the cooked rice to the jaggery syrup and stir continuously while adding ghee little by little. You have to ensure that no lumps are formed. The mixture will thicken as you keep stirring. It will slowly start leaving the sides of the vessel. Add the powdered cardamom and the coconut slices.

The delicious Nei payasam for neivedyam is ready.

(For a variation you can sauté some cashew and raisins in ghee along with the coconut slices. It tastes really good.)  

#Aadi #Bhagavathi_Sevai #Nei_Payasam #recipe

#AadiPandigai/ #AadiPirappu – #cultural and #religious #significance of the #AadiMasam in #TamilNadu #Festival 8

Everywhere in TamilNadu, there are posters and announcements of Aadi thallupadi. These indicate heavy discounts for shoppers through the month on almost all items including clothes, jewellery, electronic items and consumer goods. But though the month is a shopper’s delight, it is not the only thing which makes the month of Aadi significant. There are cultural and religious intonations galore, what with a plethora of festivals included in the religious itinerary for the month.

AadiPirappu (16^th July 2020) marks the beginning of the Dakshinayana punyakalam (the night of the Devas) which lasts till the end of the month of Margazhi. Beautiful Kolams are drawn in front of the house and entrances are decorated with maavelai thoranam. A visit to a nearby temple is followed by a feast which includes delicious payasam and vadai.   Aadi Pandigai is of special significance to newly married couples. They are invited to the bride’s home to partake in an elaborate luncheon and are presented with new clothes and other gifts.

Aadimasam is said to be dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Amman. Devotees perform the sacred Bhagavathi Sevai puja either in their homes or in the temples. Tuesdays and Fridays of the month, (Aadi Chevvai and Aadi Velli) are extremely significant for worship. Devi Mahatmyam, Devi Bhagavatam and Lalitha Sahasranamam are recited with great devotion and fervor. Aadi Pooram (24^th July 2020) is celebrated as the birthday of the Goddess. The famous temples of Madurai Meenakshi Amman, Kanchi Kamakshi Amman, the Aadhiparashakthi Amman temple at Melmaruvathur and Srivilliputhur Andal are full of festivities, as are all other temples in the State dedicated to the Goddess. The celestial union of Mahavishnu as Ranganatha Swami and Goddess Andal (who is believed to be the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi) is celebrated on Aadi Pooram day. In addition, Varalakshmi Vratham (31^st July 2020) is performed to invoke the blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

 The eighteenth day of the month is Padinettam Perukku (2^nd August 2020), the festival, celebrated to honour and thank Mother Nature for her benevolence.   People gather to worship on the banks of the sacred river Cauvery and then have a variety of rice preparations.

 Aadi Krithigai is dedicated to the worship of Lord Murugan. Coincidently, Aadi Krithigai is falling on 16^th July 2020, the same day as Aadi pirappu. Not only that, 16^th July 2020 is also Ekadashi, making it such a spiritually significant day.

Amavasya is Aadi month is special too, as people pay obeisance to departed ancestors at sacred places like the Agnitheertham at Rameshwaram and the confluence of the seas at Kanyakumari.

Aadimasam is significant for devotion, worship and spiritual programs. However, it is considered inauspicious to conduct weddings or have new beginnings during this month.

#AadiPandigai #AadiPirappu #AadiMasam  #TamilNadu #MaduraiMeenakshi #AndalThirukalyanam  #AadiKrithigai #AadiAmavasya

#Writing #Books for #children is not as easy as you think

Writing for children is an extremely challenging job, as you have to be an educator as well as an entertainer rolled into one. You have to be simple yet you should not seem to be talking down to them. 

So it makes sense to ask yourself a basic question.

Are you writing a children’s book because you love children and really want to write for them?

If so, do give it a go. But if you are in it for financial returns, be prepared for probable disappointment. There are a few exceptions like Roald Dahl, Ruskin Bond, Enid Blyton and J.K Rowling of course, but not many writers have made great money by writing children’s books.

There is a general feeling that writing a childrens’ book is simple. But no! Just banish that thought. Writing for children is not as easy as you think. In fact, I would say that writing for children is tougher than producing material for adults. However, the personal satisfaction that it affords the writer outweighs the financial negatives and is definitely worth the effort.

 Here are a few things to keep in mind, though, when you start your writing journey.

·         Children are innocent but smart. They see through deception very easily. So be honest with yourself. Think about what you enjoyed as a kid and not about some new sensational game that is the rage now, but about which you know nothing.

·         People generally tend to think that writing for children is a breeze as compared to other forms of writing. But be assured, that is not so. Writing for children requires skill as they have a very short attention span and a built-in boredom factor, and editors all over the world are aware of it. To wean them away from the distraction of visual media is almost impossible. So, your writing has to be captivating enough to capture their attention with the first few words. Otherwise they will just close the book. Even if you manage to make them read, the main challenge lies in retaining that attention till the last word.

·         If you are writing for a younger age group, make sure to include colorful illustrations, as pictures bring the characters to life for them and make them quickly comprehend what they read.

·         Children are imaginative. So give rein to their imagination by including characters who are powerful and daring enough to try something new. If the character makes mistakes and then emerges victorious, all the more better it would be, as kids are able to relate themselves with them. Especially with characters of their own age, they love it.

·         Never underestimate children. Yes. You have to keep your sentences short and simple. But a new word here and there is perfectly all right as that is how they increase their vocabulary. I have come across many kids who keep a pocket sized dictionary, which they would immediately refer to, in case they come across a new word. Most of the time, though, they are able to comprehend the meaning of a new word in the context of the sentence where it is used.

·         Read books of successful authors who write for children. The key to their success mainly lies in their story telling skills. They pack their stories with action, mystery, adventure or magic. This makes it fast paced and involuntarily holds the attention of the young reader.

·         And finally don’t be disappointed if you receive rejections. Rejections are common in the publishing world. Even J.K Rowling’s first book in the Harry Potter series was rejected a number of times before it was picked up by Bloomsbury and the rest, as everyone knows, is publishing history.  A rejection, therefore, does not necessarily mean that your writing is bad. It may be that you have approached the wrong publisher at the wrong time. Try another one.

So if you love children and believe in your writing, keep at it and you will find success tapping at your doorway.

#children, #books_for_children #childrensbooks #writing #success #rejection #storytelling

#AshadhiEkadashi 2020 celebrations at #PandurangaVittala #temple #Pandharpur to be very low key #templestories 7

Ashadhi Ekadashi or Devashayani Ekadashi, as it is also called, is one of the most significant religious festivals in Maharashtra. This year it falls on 1st July. But with the prevalent pandemic situation, celebrations are to be very low key. The famed Wari procession will not take place on foot as usual and only a select few warkaris will be allowed into the temple with the padukas of the saints, which will be taken by road or air.
On this festive occasion, I would like to share an excerpt from my book "Temples in Maharashtra-A Travel Guide"

"The mention of Pandharpur brings to our mind vivid images of the turban or topi clad Warkari holding tals in his hands and singing abhangs (sacred hymns composed by the great saints like Gyaneshwar or Tukaram) with joyous abandon and devotion, walking towards his Lord Vittala in complete surrender. No wonder then, that Pandharpur is considered by many as the holiest place in Maharashtra, the Bhu-Vaikuntam.

This is the place where Lord Vittala stands on bricks with hands held on hip, waiting for his beloved devotee, Pundalik, to finish his chores for his parents and turn towards the Lord so that he can be blessed, the place where the Lord Vittala and his devotee, (Warkari), cannot be separated.

Pandharpur, located approximately 365 kms. from Mumbai and 215 kms. from Pune, is best accessed from Solapur which is 74 kms. away and has good stay options. The road is well maintained and buses are available every fifteen minutes. As you enter the ancient temple town, picturesquely positioned on the banks of the river Chandrabhaga, you attention never wavers from the Vittala temple. The temple is believed to be more than 2000 years old. Traditionally, one is supposed to have a dip in the holy waters of the Chandrabhaga, have darshan at the Pundalik temple and worship the devotee before the Lord. Hence the main eastern entrance faces the Pundalik temple on the banks of the crescent shaped river. It is lined with shops selling flowers, bukka and puja materials, and one is approached by many who wish to guide you for a fee.

The entrance to the sanctum santorum is through the Namdev Gate, in respect to the great Marathi poet and devotee, Sant Namdev. There are twelve steps and the first one has the figure of Namdev with a tambourine in his hand singing a kirtan, and fourteen members of his family carved on it. There is also a bust of 94 Namdev to the side of the step. It is said that when Namdev took Samadhi, the rest of the fourteen members drowned themselves. This step, called Namdev payari, is considered the samadi of Namdev. Hence devotees worship it, cross it without setting their foot on it. Generally the pujari here is from Namdev’s Shimpi community and the offerings go to the Badaves or the hereditary priests of Vithoba.
Near the entrance we find the Samadhi of Chokamela, a great devotee of the Lord. Chokamela was from the Mahar community, who in those times were considered outcasts and not allowed inside the temple. He was termed mad by the people because he used to always be in ecstacy singing, dancing and conversing with his Vithobha. The Lord loved him and used to converse with him everyday. The story goes that while the Lord was having lunch at Chokamela’s house, one day, curd fell on his vastra. It was neivedya time at the temple and the priest was stunned to see curd on the vastra of the Lord. When he came to know the truth, the temple priest apologised profusely to Chokamela.

The Darshan Mandap which can accommodate the huge gathering of varkaris during the Ashadi and Karthiki Ekadashis has been built quite recently. As we enter through the central doorway flanked by the images of Jaya and Vijaya, the dwarpals of the Lord, we come across the Solakambh mandap (16 pillared hall), which reveal exquisite carvings depicting scenes from the Dashavatar and Krishna Lila on the roof. All the pillars exhibit artistic carvings while the back one encased in silver and bearing the image of Lord Vishnu, is known as the Garuda Stambha (the place where the statue of Garuda was supposed to standing before the mandap was built.) The devotees traditionally embrace the Garuda stambha and make offerings before praying to Lord Vittala. We were shown an inscription carved on a block of stone, listing the donors to the temple in the 12th century. Devotees used to rub their backs on this inscription in the belief that they would be relieved from their sins and rebirth. As one enters the sanctum, the eyes are magnetically drawn to the highly revered black stone image of Lord Vittala standing on a brick shaped square block with the arms, holding a shankh in the left and a lotus in the right, resting on the hip. This is believed to be the brick that his devotee Pundalik offered to him as an asana. The crown or mukut of the Lord has a Shivlinga engraved on it, and the ears are adorned with makara kundalas and the chest with the Kausthubha gem. The deity is believed to be swayambu or self manifested. This is the only shrine where devotees can touch the feet (sparsh) and seek blessings.

Behind the main shrine is a separate shrine to Goddess Rukhmani or Rakhumai as she is called here. The beautiful black stone image of the Goddess is dressed in typical Maharashtrian style and is adorned with many ornaments. There are shrines to Satyabhama and Rahi (Radha) too. There are stories and legends galore about this temple and the presence of Vithoba in Pandarpur and his devotees, the most important one being that of Pundalik or Pundarik who is credited with having brought Lord Vittala to this land. Pundalik was initially a self centred man who care for nothing except his own pleasure. He neglected his aged parents. But he agreed to take them to Kashi, albeit on foot, while he and his wife rode on horses. On the way came across an ashram of Rishi Kukkut, who welcomed him and took good care of him. Pundalik could not sleep that night. He witnessed the remarkable sight of three young women in dirty clothes enter the Rishi’s ashram and started doing cleaning jobs. They then went to the prayer hall and when they re-emerged they were spotlessly clean. When asked about this miracle, the three women mentioned that they were Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathy. They were burdened with the sins and impurity of all the thousands of people who took a dip in their waters to absolve their sins. But they were purified by serving the Rishi, who adored and took great care of his aged parents. Transformed by this conversation Pundalik began caring for his parents to the exclusion of everything. Pleased with his devotion to his parents, Lord Krishna came here to bless him. When the Lord called out to Pundalik he was serving his parents. So he threw a brick (veet in Marathi) to the Lord to wait. Probably the name Vittala originated from this veet. The Lord stood on the brick with his hands resting on his hip and waited till Pundalik finished his chores for his parents. The Lord still stands, but now He waits for all the scores of devotees who surrender to Him.

Another mythological legend, according to the Padma Purana and the Panduranga Mahatmya, says that Krishna and Radha were inseparable during their childhood. Rukmini Devi also knew about this. Once when Radharani met Sri Krishna at Dwaraka, their intimacy upset Rukmini Devi, who silently left to do penance in Dindirvana to win back her husband. The Lord immediately went in search of her to ask for forgiveness, but the Goddess, deep in penance, did not even recognise his presence. Sri Krishna then went to see his devotee Pundalik in Pandharpur. Later, after her anger and distress had abated, Rukmini Devi joined her husband to bless the devotee. Apart from Pundalik, the primary devotee who was instrumental in the presence of the Lord Vittala at Pandharpur, Sant Dyaneshwar who is credited with starting the Wari tradition, Sant Namdeo, Sant Tukaram, Janabai and many others have composed and sung verses (abhangs) in praise of the Lord, which are being sung with great devotion even today.

Temple Timings The temple opens for darshan at 6.00 am to 11.00 am, from 11.15 to 4.30 pm and 5.00 pm to 11.15 pm (Darshan remains closed during 11.00 am to 11.15 am for Mahanaivedya, 4.30 pm to 5.00 pm for Poshakh, and 5.00 pm to 11.15 pm)

 Every day is a festival and every Ekadashi a fast at Pandharpur. But the Ashadi and Karthiki Ekadashis are special when a huge congregation of devotees gather at the temple to have a darshan of their beloved Lord Vittala. The temple is open for twenty hours on these days, as the Lord remains awake to bless his devotees. The deity is bathed and dressed in new clothes the day after and fed a different diet with sugar and spice, as it is assumed that the Lord is tired after the long day. Apart from the Ekadashis, the festival of Navarathri is celebrated with great fervour. The deities are adorned with beautiful new clothes and fine gold jewellery studded with brilliant gems of various colours.

 The Wari tradition and the Warkari: The depth of emotion and spiritual fervour marking the largest procession in the world is unbelievable. The eight centuries old tradition of wari is a journey on foot to the abode of the Lord Vittal at Pandharpur that the devotee or warkari undertakes again and again. Lakhs of warkaris gather at different venues across the country and carry the padukas (wooden or silver footwear) of Sant. Dnyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram, Sant Eknath or Sant Eknath in palkis (palanquins), and start their journey to the reverberating sound of hundreds of drums, mridangas, cymbals etc. The largest congregation is at the start of the procession accompanying the palki carrying the padukas of Sant Dnyaneshwar, who is credited with starting the wari tradition, from his birthplace Alandi. Another big procession is from Dehu carrying the Tukaram Padukas. The starting day of the wari may be different depending on the distance to Pandarpur, but the concluding day is the same, the day before Ashadhi Ekadashi, when warkaris coming from various cities and direction meet on the banks of the Chandrabhaga spreading love and devotion in the air and chanting the holy abhangas in gay abandon. En route to Pandharpur, the wari halts at various places and the locals of that place welcome the warkaris with some special food and delicacies. Medical aid is provided to those who require it, at most halts free of charge.

 The dindi system is followed to avoid chaos or missing persons. Each dindi comprises of a number of warkaris, generally from the same locality, carrying combined essential rations, clothing and medicines in a truck or a trolley, and they group together wherever they halt. Usually they have some abhang singers and cymbal players. All the dindis in a particular wari assemble for the evening aarti conducted by their palki chief. On reaching Chandrabhaga river, they take a dip in the holy waters. The excitement of the warkaris reaches its crescendo when they first sight the flag atop the main Vithobha Mandir and they rush forward in unison to catch a glimpse of their favourite Lord. That is the climax. The moment they are face to face with the Lord and feel his benevolent gaze blessing them for ever and ever."

#Ashadhi, #Ekadashi #Pandharpur #Karthiki #Vittal #Rakhumai #Sant_Dnyaneshwar #Sant_Tukaram #Alandi #Dehu #Panduranga #temple  #festival #Wari #Warkari

Five #benefits of #Online #Education

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions everywhere to shift towards holding classes online, as both parents and teachers do not want children to miss out on the crucial time of schooling. I spoke to some educators about the pros and cons of this debatable decision. 

Everyone of them agreed that this paradigm shift is too sudden and not what we want for our children, especially the younger ones who are deprived of physical activity and mutual interaction with kids of their own age.

But that apart, some of them are of the view that there are some ways in which this online shift is proving to be beneficial to the children.  

Improved attendance: Children actually have very little excuse for not attending classes, as there is no long commute involved. This has actually improved the attendance percentage in schools. The children are taking to online learning like fish to water and becoming tech-savvy at a very young age. 

Educators finding it easy to track performance: Since the data of each student is individually stored, it becomes easy for the teacher or educator to track the learning capability and performance of each student.

Visually stimulating: If one sees the way online teaching materials are formulated, one would find that they are more visually stimulating with inclusion of multimedia content. This draws and retains the attention span.  Quizzes, Questionnaires, interactive polls also play their part to improve the understanding levels of the students. 

Interaction with even the shy and unnoticed students: Though both the students and the teachers are missing physical interaction and bonding, the online classes are showing an increased participation from students, who are generally shy and do not come forward to answer in offline classes, as they are drawn to participate in the interactive quizzes and puzzles. The educator now gets a chance to know the learning capacity and intelligence of such introvert students. This may enhance the shy student’s confidence. 

Quick Assessment: In order to track whether the students are able to understand what is being taught, short questionnaires are included in short spurts. Answers to these are given by all students, making it easy for the teacher to assess each child individually. This continuous assessment and tracking is beneficial to every student.

#Online_education #benefits #Covid-19 #pandemic #education #technology #assessment #students #teachers

Unique #Temple ##Prasadams and #GI Tag

Have you ever wondered at the delicious taste of the Palpayasam at Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna temple or the Unniappam at Kottarakara Ganapati temple?

Yes. They are amazingly delicious, yet unique. The taste of these neivedyams can never be replicated as they have bhakti (devotion) as an additional ingredient. The same goes for the aravana payasam of Sabarimala.  All these neivedyams are prepared in the respective temple kitchens with full adherence to hygiene and purity of the ingredients. These neivedyams are offered to the deity and then distributed amongst the devotees as prasadam. Devotees crave for getting a portion of the prasadam, sometimes leading to long meandering queues at the distribution counter. I remember, just a few months back when we visited the Ambalapuzha temple, we had to wait for almost an hour in the queue for the divine palpayasam. It was well worth the wait though. I was told that it takes almost six hours for the palpayasam to reach the correct consistency and pinkish colour. Currently, the Travancore Devaswom Board wants to patent these three temple prasadams and the application process has begun for the GI (Geographical Indication) tag.

Some temples in India are famous for their unique neivedyam or offering to the deity of the temple. Almost everyone has heard of the Laddu offering of one of the world’s richest temples, the Tirupati Balaji temple. 

Also known as the Srivari Laddu, this delicious sweet is prepared in the temple’s kitchen known as Potu. Run by the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam), the temple is believed to prepare, on an average, more than 2.8 lakh laddus on a daily basis. The Potu has three conveyor belts which carry the ingredients for making it and then transport the finished laddus to the prasadam counter, from where they are distributed to the devotees. The world famous Tirupati Laddu was the first temple prasadam to be conferred with the GI tag. That was more than a decade ago in 2009.

Srivari Laddu of Tirupati

Another temple, the Arulmighu Dandayuthapani Swami temple in the temple town of Palani in Tamil Nadu was granted the GI tag for its Panchamirtham in August 2019. The production of this Palani Panchamirtham is fully automated and derives its name from its five natural ingredients, (banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey and cardomom). The addition of dates and diamond sugar increases its flavor. No water, preservatives or artificial ingredients are used in the preparation. The grant of the GI tag limits the production of this Panchamirtham to the confines of the Palani temple town.

Palani Panchamirtham

What is the GI tag and why is it so important?

An Indian product belonging exclusively to a specific region is granted a geographical Indication tag which means that it can be made only within that particular region or territory. The World Trade Organization agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights specifies that a product should possess “a given quality, reputation or any other characteristic that is attributable to its geographical location” as a prerequisite for application of a GI tag.

Aravana Payasam of Sabarimala

In the case of the Kerala temple prasadams mentioned above, the patenting is thought necessary as there have been cases of some private outlets selling counterfeit stuff and devotees being conned into believing that they are getting the genuine aravana payasam or palpayasam. The GI tag will ensure that making of these delicious prasadams will be restricted to the temple premises.

 #Tirupati #SrivariLaddu #PalaniPanchamirtham #AmbalapuzhaPalpayasam #Aravanapayasam, #Sabarimala #KottarakaraUnniappam  #neivedyam #prasadam #GI_tag #temple