Think temple prasad and images of sweets such as laddoos, pedas, sweet pongal, and chitranna — and its savoury variations if you're in the southern states — come to mind.
A temple in Chennai has decided to funk its menu up and is offering brownies, sandwiches and even burgers as prasad to devotees.
According to a report in the Times of India, the Jaya Durga Peetham temple in Padappai, a Chennai suburb, opted for a change from the usual while keeping in mind that anything that is "nutritious and prepared in a clean kitchen with a clean mind can be served to God."
K Sri Sridhar, a herbal oncologist who helped set up the temple, told TOI that the menu has been a hit with the elder devotees, belying any apprehension that people might object to non-traditional prasad.
The kitchen in Jaya Durga Peetham kitchen is automated and the packed prasad comes labelled with 'best before' and expiry dates.
Sridhar said that devotees seem specially fond of the beautiful birthday-cake prasad that they get on their birthdays. A database of names of devotees with their dates of birth and addresses is maintained by the temple.
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