Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. From ancient times in India, the temple has been considered not only the spiritual but also the social center of Indian society. It was here that education was imparted, matchmakers flourished, marriages were sanctified and so on. Food occupies an important position in the religious life of Hindus. It is offered to ancestors during rituals and to gods during invocation ceremonies. It is served to the deities in temples as bhog and to the needy and poor as part of sewa (community service). In many homes, a small portion of each meal is first served to the household deity before being consumed. Food is an integral part of Indian culture and the great emphasis on food is apparent from the fact that it has often been called the ‘kitchen religion’.

In the times of community living the temple kitchen was where bhog was prepared and then distributed as prasad. In early Indian society, the prasad distributed was the primary source of nutrition. Only later did individual homes light their own fires.

The basic tenets of bhog offerings continued to influence the selection and preparation of food items in homes thereafter, especially those following vegetarian diets. Additions were made to simple recipes in the bhog tradition to either richen or modify them. Temple kitchens however have been an exception and rituals of puja and ceremony, festivals and bhog have by and large remained as per the vidhi (method) laid down in the shastras (ancient texts).

According to the principals of Ayurveda, sattvic food promotes longevity, health purity, strength, happiness and cheerfulness, rajasic causes pain, grief and disease and tamsic promotes slothfulness, cruelty and evil nature. Hindu texts put heavy emphasis on eating the right kind of food since it is the main source of energy for the physical body and nourishment for the mind. Thus, whatever we eat impacts the triple qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas which in turn impacts the balance of our minds and bodies. While there are many general considerations concerning various aspects of bhog, some temples follow rituals that are unique to their sampraday (religious system or identity).

Preparation for cooking bhog is as important as the actual process of cooking in temples all over. Great emphasis is laid on the hygiene, purity, attitude, mind and emotional state of the person who is cooking.

Indeed, bhaav (emotional vibe) is the most valuable ingredient in the preparation of bhog. The other significant ingredient is ‘manorath’ — that which is made according to the heart’s desire of the cook… what he feels like serving the Lord.

Fire has special significance in Hinduism as with other belief systems since it is believed to be the purest of the five elements and indestructible. In many temples only the wood of a certain tree is used. In Guruyayur temple (Kerala), the husk of the coconut fuels the fire used to cook bhog while tamarind bark is used to cook food for the devotees. In Jagannath temple (Puri), the bark of the Daaru tree is used –— Daaru literally means to erode or take away…in this case it implies the  erosion of all suffering.

Indeed, the Mahaprasad is reputed to have magical qualities of transformation. At the Govindevji temple in Imphal, wood with rice husk is used as fuel. Before cooking bhog for the day commences, a havan is performed. The samagri or ingredients burnt in the holy fire/agni emit through their fumes certain properties that cleanse and purify the atmosphere, creating harmony, peace and friendship. A flame from this yagya (sacred fire) is used to light the fire for preparing bhog. Practically speaking, why a certain fuel is used in combination with a certain metal vessel is because of the conduction factor.

In most temples, steel and aluminum vessels are shunned, while copper, brass, bronze even silver in some cases are preferred. Tatiya sthan in Vrindavan continues to use clay utensils specially made in Kamvana and Jagannath temple in Puri has its own potters!

A common denominator for all temples with regard to bhog is that it should nourish and feed not only the body but also the mind. Bhog in that sense is holistic — taking care of bodily and intellectual needs and thereby spiritual growth. Similarly, bhog should express the concepts of purity, devotion and non-violence. It should be easy to digest, pure and subtle. There is an emphasis on fruits, milk and its by-products and nuts — often used innovatively. Tulsi is an essential part of bhog which is considered incomplete if tulsi leaves are missing.

Six ritu (the cycle of the seasons) is a valuable guide to the selection of ingredients and one cannot go wrong if we use what is a typical natural product of that season. Interestingly, some vegetables/fruits are available for only a very short time. Clearly, nature intended their use at that specific moment in time. All the five tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, salty and astringent — are incorporated during the course of the day. An element of exotica is also added as the bhaav is to offer something special.

Ingredients are selected with utmost care keeping in mind quality and purity. Milk products for instance have to be made with cows’ milk alone. Similarly, pure ghee made from cow’s milk is the preferred medium of cooking and if at all oil is used it is mustard oil and not the refined variant. Certain vegetables are completely taboo e.g. tamsic ingredients like onion and garlic are shunned because they arouse the base emotions. Red hued vegetables like carrots and tomatoes are avoided because of their colour association with blood while cauliflower and red chilies are also ignored as being difficult for the delicate satvik digestive system.

The day is divided into aath prahar — eight (unequal) sections for the purpose of worship and bhog, with each temple following its own timeline. Thus, ingredients are used according to their suitability to the demands of the season, the colour palette, varying textures and tastes are also considered while choosing a menu.

Rituals and ceremonies are followed not only in the process of cooking but also in the serving of bhog. Prayers urging the deity to partake of the offering/cajoling are an indispensible part of the serving. Special mantras are recited, flowers and incense create an ambience and bells tinkle along. A different raag accompanies the offering depending on the time of year and day. Bhog is offered with great fanfare and celebration and served with anand bhav (pleasure) for the anand (pleasure) of the deity. It is a rare god indeed who would not be tempted to eat!

Black Rice
Deep purple rather than black in colour due to the high content of anthocynins. This was also  called ‘forbidden rice’ as it was consumed only by the Chinese emperors and not available to commoners. A high protein and carbohydrate quotient makes it very healthy but difficult to  digest, so it is served in very small portions.
Black rice 1 katori
Water 6-7 katoris

Method
Pick, wash and soak the rice for half an hour.  Bring the water to a boil and tip in the rice. Cook till soft, adding more water if required and drain the remaining water when done.
Serve with kheer.

According to the Ayurveda, sattvic food promotes longevity, health purity, strength, happiness and cheerfulness, rajasic causes pain, grief and disease and tamsic promotes slothfulness, cruelty and evil nature.

Ras ki pakori
Unusual and exceptionally moreish, this is an example of seasonal kadhai ki seva
Ingredients
Soft, ripe dussehri/kesar kairi mangoes 3
Besan as required — about a katori and a half
Baking soda ½ tsp
Zeera 1 tsp
Pinch of hing
Peppercorns, halved 6-7
Ghee 3 tbsp
Ghee to fry
Sugar 1 katori
Water to make chashni         ½ katori
Boora for dusting

Method
Peel and pulp the mangoes. Pass through a sieve/white muslin cloth.
Add baking soda, zeera, hing, peppercorns and mix.
Add besan a little at a time till you have a dropping consistency batter.
Now pour in 3 tbsp ghee and beat very well till the batter is light and fluffy.
Heat the ghee and drop in little balls of the batter, frying till a lovely golden and crisp.
Make a thin coatable chashni with the sugar and water and briefly dunk the golden balls into the chashni till just coated.
Drain well.
To serve, place a layer of the ras ki pakoris on a tray and dust with boora. Now place another layer on top and dust again. Repeat till all the pakoris are arranged.
Serve immediately.

Pottal rasa
Ingredients
½ kg pottal (parwal)
Ghee to fry
2 sticks dalchini
1 tsp zeera
1 tsp dhania seeds
¼ tsp kali mirch
2 tbsp grated fresh nariyal
Salt to taste
¼ tsp haldi powder

Method
Wash and dry the pottal and cut into roundels. Heat ghee and fry to golden brown. Drain well.
Dry roast the zeera, dalchini, kali mirch, dhania and grind along with the narial to a smooth paste. Heat a tbsp of the remaining ghee and add ground masala, salt and enough water for a gravy consistency.
Bring to a boil and then lower the flame and add fried pottal. Cook till pottal is tender but still has lachak (body). Serve with rice or bejar rotis.

Kanika
Ingredients
1 katori rice
1 tbsp moong dhuli dal
2 katoris water
 ¾ katori sugar
¼ tsp  badi elaichi powder
¼ tsp lavang powder
A good pinch of jaiphal
1 tbsp kishmish
Scant pinch camphor
1/4 tsp dalchini powder
¼ katori mixed nuts: almonds, walnuts and pista, roughly chopped
2 tbsp ghee

Method
Pick and wash the rice and dal. Put the water to boil. Then tip in the rice mix and when about 70 per cent done, topple in the sugar and spices and continue to cook on moderate heat till 95 per cent ready.
Now pour in the ghee, cover and cook for a few minutes and take off heat. Leave to rest about 10 mins, fluff up and serve.

Pokharo
An immensely popular offering at the anand bazaar in Jagannath temple, Puri. It has extremely cooling properties and is a wonderful example of the use of local ingredients.
Ingredients
Left over rice gruel (if it gets mildly sour, even better), 2 litres
4 inch piece ambokuri ada (mango flavoured ginger, native to Orissa)
Nimbu (lemon or lime) leaves, gently crushed to release the flavour, 5
Santra (orange) leaves gently crushed to release the flavour, 5   
Juice of two nimbus  
Juice of two santras
Santra, thinly sliced, 1
Nimbus, thinly sliced, 2
Samudri namak (sea salt), 2 tsp
Coarse paste of hari mirch (green chilli) and adrak (ginger),   2 tsp
Freshly roasted zeera, roughly crushed, 2 tsp
Kala namak (rock salt), 1 tsp

Method
Mix all the ingredients and chill. Pour into glasses without straining and serve.

Meetha raita
Ingredients
Choose from mango pulp, kharbooza pulp, kishmish soaked in water, angoor (grapes white or black) halved, pineapple cut into small pieces, apple grated or cut into small cubes
Dahi 2 katoris
Mishri ¼ katori
A pinch of baras
2-3 pods of crushed elaichi
Sendha namak to taste
A good pinch of freshly made  bhuna zeera

Method
Put the dahi into a fine muslin cloth to drain. Remove and mix with mishri till it dissolves.
Mix in crushed baras, sendha namak and finely powdered elaichi. Add the fruit of your choice or a combination and stir well. Serve chilled.