Panchamrita

{{short description|Mixture of few foods used in Hindus and Jain worship}} thumb|The ingredients of panchamrita: (clockwise from bottom right) milk, curd, sugar (or jaggery), honey and ghee {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} '''Panchamrita''' <ref>{{cite web |title=Panchamrit |url=https://kamrupni.in/panchamrit-five-nectars-endless-blessings/}}</ref>({{Langx|sa|पञ्चामृत}}, {{lit|five {{IAST|Amṛta}}s}}) is a mixture of five foods used in Hindu as well as Jain worship and puja and Abhiṣeka<ref>For definition of {{lang|sa|पञ्चामृत}} (IAST: ''{{IAST|pañcāmṛta}}'' ) as "the collection of five sweet things used in worshipping deities" see: {{Harvnb|Apte|1965|p=578}},</ref> It is often used as an offering during puja where it is distributed as prasad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/food/mahashivratri-2018-importance-of-panchamrit-and-how-to-make-it-at-home-1808879|title=Happy Mahashivratri 2018: Importance Of Panchamrit And How To Make It At Home|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2020-03-05}}</ref>

The main ingredients typically include honey (मधु), sugar (शर्करा), cow milk (दुग्ध), curd (दधि) and ghee (घृत)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Delamaine|first=James|date=1826|title=Of the Sra'wacs or Jains|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/25581717|journal=Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland|volume=1|issue=2|pages=413–438|doi=10.1017/S095047370000029X|jstor=25581717|issn=0950-4737|url-access=subscription|doi-access=free}}</ref>

The Abhiṣeka starts with ghee. A conch full of cow's ghee is poured on the head of the idol and it flows down up to feet. Then milk, curd, honey and sugar are poured.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Panchamrita Abhisheka Puja |url=https://udipikrishnamutt.com/article/id/756/panchamrita-abhisheka-puja |website=Udupi Krishna Mutt}}</ref> While a variety of additional regional ingredients such as, cardamom, banana, tender coconut, and dates are used,<ref>{{cite book |last=Karigoudar |first=Ishwaran |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nNYUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA30 |title=A populistic community and modernization in India |year=1977 |publisher=Brill Archive |isbn=9004047905 |access-date=23 May 2009}}</ref> the five base ingredients remain the same across all of India.

In Tamil Nadu, Panchamritam ({{Langx|ta|பஞ்சாமிர்தம்}}) is a mixture of banana, ghee, honey, jaggery and cardamom. In addition, other substances like seedless dates and sugar candies are added.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.palanimurugantemple.tnhrce.in/facilities/panchamirtham.html |title=Only Official Website of Arulmigu Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple, Palani - Facilities: Panchamirtham |access-date=22 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714115849/http://www.palanimurugantemple.tnhrce.in/facilities/panchamirtham.html |archive-date=14 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Keralites may also include tender coconut. Some recipes also include grapes.<ref>{{cite book| last = Nair | first = K.K. | title = Sages Through Ages, Proof of divinity given | date = 26 March 2003 | publisher = AuthorHouse | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ocKK64IZHakC&pg=PA111 | access-date = 23 May 2009| isbn = 9781418446895}}</ref>

Palani Dhandayuthapani temple located in Tamil Nadu is popular for its unique panchamirtham which uses Virupatchi hill bananas grown in the surrounding Palani hills.<ref>{{cite news|title=Palani temple to double panchamritam production|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-10-06/news/28460028_1_panchamirtham-palani-temple-prasadam|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303062048/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-10-06/news/28460028_1_panchamirtham-palani-temple-prasadam|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 March 2016|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=6 October 2009|location=Palani, India}}</ref> It received its unique Geographical indication in 2019 from the Government of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/panchamirtham-of-palani-temple-gets-gi-,/reftag/article29089343.ece|title= 'Panchamirtham' of Palani temple gets GI tag| work=The Hindu| date=14 August 2019}}</ref>

==Also See== Abhisheka ==References== {{reflist}} *{{Citation | last=Apte | first=Vaman Shivram | year=1965 | title=The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary | place=Delhi | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers | edition=Fourth revised and enlarged | isbn=81-208-0567-4 }}

Category:Objects used in Hindu worship Category:Puja (Hinduism) Category:Religious food and drink Category:Food and drink in Hinduism Category:Hindu cuisine Category:Indian cuisine Category:South Asian cuisine Category:Vegetarian cuisine Category:Vegetarian dishes of India