PATHANAMTHITTA: The food of the gods has more often than not been associated with sweetened goodness.
In Sabarimala, beyond the chants and rituals, devotion also takes the form of flavours. The aravana is popular as the signature prasadam that travels home with every pilgrim. But there is much more to the sweet side of worship at the hill shrine.
Three other offerings -- idichupizhinja payasam, ellu payasam and vella nivedyam -- are part of daily rituals at the sanctum sanctorum.
Every pooja, from the first light of dawn to the fading colours of dusk, is marked by a unique offering prepared in the temple kitchens, each with its own significance and tradition.
The idichupizhinja payasam is offered during the usha pooja at 7.30am. True to its name, the payasam is prepared by grinding coconut to extract both the first and second milk, which is then cooked with jaggery and other ingredients.
Aravana is served during the uccha pooja at noon. The vella nivedyam is offered during all all poojas as part of daily rituals. Ellu payasam is reserved for the athazha pooja at 9.15 pm.
Interestingly, the ellu payasam is not a watery dessert like the others – it is essentially a preparation made from sesame, says temple tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru. Along with the athazha pooja, panakam – a concoction made from cumin, jaggery, dry ginger, and pepper – appam and ada are also offered to the deity.
The temple doors open at 3 am for the dawn ritual, and it is during this period that the panchamritham is used for abhishekam. This divine mixture blends five core ingredients -- jaggery, kadali banana, raisins, ghee, honey. Rock sugar, cardamom powder and dry ginger powder are added for flavour.
Among the offerings, aravana remains the most sought-after prasadam, followed by panchamritham. The latter is available in bottles half the size of an aravana tin and is priced at Rs 125.