Food in Mythology

Hinduism is built on mythology. It is, also, as we already saw, in cahoots with food. Think of any Hindu festival, and you think of some special food item. Is it little wonder that many of our mythological stories have a gastronomic twist to them?

Let us begin, as custom demands, with Pillayar (Aka Ganesh, Vinayak etc.). Down South, we tell our kids this endearing story of Pillayar and his brother Murugan fighting over a Mango. Unable to handle sibling squabble, the Father, sets up a race to circumnavigate the world, the winner being awarded the "Gnana Pazam". While Murugan mounts his peacock for his version of Around the World in Eighty Days or less, the older brother chooses to circumnavigate (!) his parents, the personification of the entire Universe, and thus wins the fruit, much to the chagrin of the younger one. Murugan retires to a hillock in a huff, with nothing but a loin cloth on him, and is pacified by Auvayar paati - a story popularized by K.B. Sundaramabal with her bronze voiced "Pazam Neeyappa", in the 1965 blockbuster - Thiruvilayadal. (Image Source)

Lord Ganesha is associated with another food story. Kubera, lord of wealth, arrogant of his riches, offers to feed Lord Ganesha - what is one meal to a small boy to the richest person in the universe? But the little elephant headed boy eats and eats until there is no food left, and threatens to eat Kubera who runs to Lord Shiva for protection. Ganesha's hunger is finally appeased by a handfull of roasted grains, given with love.

Lord Krishna's story is peppered with food. The little mischief monger is known for his butter stealing propensity, immortalized in innumerable songs and verses over the ages.

Of course, the guy does not stop with butter alone. Dust is just as delicious as butter. Other references of food in the Bhagavatham include His feast at the abode of a "devanadiyaal" (prostitute) and His meal at Vidhura's house, the latter taken over completely by Bhakthi, mistakenly offering the Lord the banana peel instead of the fruit, and the Lord accepting the peel with love. There is also the tale of the Draupathi's Akshayapatram , a vessel that produces unlimited food until the moment it is washed for the day. Story goes that Sage Durvasa, known for his quick temper, visits them AFTER the vessel is washed and the desparate Draupati seeks Krishna's help. Krishna finds a single leaf of spinach in the vessel (my maid must have worked for Draupathi) and eats it - this single leaf fills the stomach of not just Durvasa but all the world and saves Draupathi and her clan from sure-curse.

Down South, we have the mythology of Meenakshi Kalyanam, where Gatothkaja eats up all the food made for the wedding, and the resulting thirst is only quenched when Lord Sundereswarar creates the river Vaigai that still flows in Madurai. "Kalyana Samayal Saadam" was quite a hit in 1957.

There is the story of Adi Shankara, begging for food at the house of a poor woman, who, on dwadeshi day, has nothing to offer but an over-ripe amla fruit. Touched by the generosity of the poor woman, Adi Shankara sings the Kanakadhaara stotram, that causes golden amla to rain on the woman [Image source].

What better way to end this post than with a story from the Ramayana, considering it is Sri Ramanavami tomorrow? Rama and Lakshmana arrive at the ashram of Mathngi rishi during their search for Sita, where a stooping, old woman, Shabari has been waiting for years to get a glimpse of her Lord before her end. Wishing to serve her Lord, the sweetest of fruits, she bites every fruit to check for its ripeness before offering them to Rama [Image source].

With that, let us make and enjoy paanagam, neer mor and kosumalli for Sriramanavami tomorrow.

Perhaps Gayathri will post recipes soon.