Food commensality shift at temples of Tamil Nadu during Pandemic

Temples have been an important centre of economic and social exchange since the past in a predominantly agrarian state like Tamil Nadu. Several South Indian temples owned acres of farmland to manage temple expenses and hold their authority by distributing the crop harvest. The harvest also led to food donations for temple devotees, which is otherwise known as annadhanam in Tamil Nadu. The word annadhanam is a combination of two words namely, ‘anna’ and ‘dhaanam’ which means ‘grain/ food’ and ‘donate/ charity’ respectively.

Figure 1 and 2. Charity boxes (Hundial) places separately for annadhanam distribution services. [Photo courtesy: Thiyagaraj and Elakkiya (Blog Author)]

The variety of prasadam offered in the temple ranges from raw and ripe fruits to fresh green leaves such as basil leaves (tulasi). While the prasada as a food product becomes especially interesting when cooked, each temple has its own unique prasada to offer which gets prepared through a particular style of cooking and rituals depending upon the variables of sectarian traditions of the particular temple and its deities’ preferences. In fact, few prasada offered at certain temple becomes an icon not only to the temple but also to the particular town or city where the temple is situated.

Such food offerings at temples have been consumed throughout ages by devotees with utmost devotion and gratitude. In fact, the fundamental meaning of the word prasada means “to settle down, become pure, clear and brightened” (Apte, 1992). The food offered to the deity is returned back to the devotee after the ritual proceedings, either individually or collectively. When such food offering is done collectively to the solidarity of devotees who come to worship at the temple, the phenomenon of collective food offering is called annadhanam. The collective offering of temple prasada to the devotees takes place under rites of festivals (utsavam) and during family gatherings such as marriage, birth celebrations etc. Apart from this, temple feasts such as annadhanam play an important role in eradicating hunger by providing food to the empty stomachs of many helpless and needy people for their daily survival.

Figure 3 and 4. Boards and Banners placed outside temple premises encouraging food sponsorship. [Photo courtesy: Sakthi (Blog Author)]

The practice of annadhanam has been adopted and has been taken care of by the government since when the temples of Tamil Nadu came under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department which was formed in 1960. Six years ago, the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa launched and extended the Annadhanam Scheme to 206 more temples across Tamil Nadu. Currently, the annadhanam scheme is carried on at 518 temples across the state of Tamil Nadu.

Figure 5. Devotees waiting outside annadhanam kitchen for midday meal at Pavalamalai Murugan temple. (Courtesy: Thiyagaraj)

Among the many temples which got benefited, a small temple located at the hilltop of Pavalamalai from which it derives its name as Pavalamalai Murugan Temple also shares the benefit of this particular scheme to its regular devotees.

Karthik, a 25-year-old temple priest of the temple shares his experience in the temple and narrates on the commensality shift at the temple especially during the pandemic. He begins by remarking happily on the development of the scheme over the years where the food distribution had increased from 10 people per day to 25 people over the period of last five years. The distribution of prasada under the annadhanam scheme is taken care of exclusively by employees who were appointed by the Department of Hindu religious and charitable endowments. The introduction of the annadhanam scheme in 2017 also ensured time-pay scale remuneration for 820 personnel who work on a daily wage basis in the temples across the state for annadhanam distribution.

The traditional practice to visit the temple and graciously accept the offered prasada during annadhanam got countered during the period of lockdown. People would sit adjacent to each other humbly in front of their banana leaves. Talking about sitting postures and positional arrangement, each devotee is expected to sit with crossed legs on the floor.

Figure 6. People sitting for receiving annadhanam before lockdown restrictions at Pachamalai Murugan Temple. (Photo courtesy: Thiyagaraj)

Figure 7. Traditionally, banana leaves are distributed for serving purpose in south Indian temples. (Photo courtesy: Thiyagaraj)

The leaves would be provided either whole or stripped into half depending upon the amount of food item served at the particular feast. A wholesome platter of South Indian meals with a range of gravy, vegetable mixture (kootu and aviyal) is usually served at annadhanam during temple utsavs and special events.

Figure 8. A simple annadhanam midday meal served on a usual day. (Photo courtesy: Thiyagaraj)

With State-imposed restrictions to maintain social distancing, the above-mentioned commensal aspect of annadhanam, that is to settle down together and eat prasada in the allocated serving place at temple premises would seem nothing but absurd during these uncertain times. Thus, the government took careful steps and measure to continue the traditional practice of annadhanam by keeping in mind those needy people who sustain their daily lives with the help of food served during mid-day meals at the temple. Annadhanam food is systematically distributed in ‘packed parcels’ to those devotees visiting the temple, in order to maintain food consumption in a safe and socially distanced manner. Variety rice which includes lemon rice, tamarind rice, tomato rice and curd rice are offered at the temple instead of traditional South Indian meals, considering ease of distribution in a separate and single parcel to each individual.

The food offered to the deity is prepared at the temple’s kitchen which is known as madapalli while the food cooked under the annadhanam scheme is prepared in different kitchen facilitated by the government. Food is served during lunchtime as a mid-day meal at every temple of Tamil Nadu usually after the daily Uchikala pooja gets performed. The average cost of a midday meal per day is around Rs. 1000 for twenty-five people at Pavalamalai Murugan temple, though the average expenditure for the scheme varies depending upon the daily visits of devotees and popularity of the temple. Though the food expenses are taken care of by government authorities, the employees of the scheme happily welcome voluntary sponsors who could take care of the overall expenses for a particular day. The sponsors are appreciated for their generous charity and are honoured by writing the donor’s name at the dedicated annadhanam board fixed nearby the serving location. When asked about the response amongst people to the daily annadhanam offered at the temple by government authorities, both Karthik and the annadhanam scheme employee of the temple assured that all the parcel gets distributed every day to devotees who receive it eagerly and happily.

Figure 9 and 10. Empty annadhanam spaces facilitated by government during Covid-19 lockdown as the food prepared is immediately distributed in parcel to devotees. (Photo courtesy: Thiyagaraj and Elakkiya)

Though the aura of food commensality at temples is evidently lost during the lockdown, the effort to maintain food distribution through means of annadhanam taken care of by government authorities and generous sponsors is something noteworthy and should be appreciated.