Biriyani Offering at a Temple

Muniyandi Kovil, Tamil Nadu

Temples have a very important place in the Hindu tradition of worship. Everyday, offering are made to the consecrated Deity of each temple in the form of light, flowers, food etc.. The offerings are later distributed among the devotees. Usually they are of the vegetarian kind.

Interestingly, Muniyandi Kovil (Kovil means small temple in Tamil language) in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India offers Mutton Biriyani¹ (a non-vegetarian food) as offerings to devotees.

There is a very sentimental story behind this offer of Mutton Biriyani Prasadam at Muniyandi Kovil.

The history behind the Mutton Biriyani Prasadam

In 1937 a man by the name Guru Swamy started a small hotel in the village of Vadakam Petty, 45 kilometers away from the famous temple city of Madurai. The hotel became a run away success even to the surprise of enterprising Guru Swamy who believed it to be the blessing of the Deity Muniyandy of the nearby Kovil. An inspired Guruswamy along with another fellow worshipper of Muniyandi, Sundaram Reddy, started two more hotels in the neighbouring towns of Kalligudy and Virudh Nagar naming them ‘Muniyandi Hotels’. Needless to say those two hotels also became very successful and Guruswamy to show his gratitude offered his most popular food in the hotel – Mutton Biryani – as an offering to Deity Muniyandi on the day of temple festival serving everyone who visited the temple with  Mutton Biriyani.

Over the years, many have started following the business model of Guruswamy and have started ‘Muniyanid Hotels’ all over south India. Most of these hotels have become so successful and popular that they keep a side a certain amount of tiths which they offer to the Muniyandi Kovil. There are around 1500 ‘Muniyandi Hotels’ in South India, their success stories have taken the name to states like Andhra, Karnataka, Puducherry etc. 

Growing Popularity

As the news of the Mutton Biriyani spread, the festival is attracting vistors from all over India, nearly 8000 devotees visited the Kovil last year during the festival day. 1800 Kilos of Biryani Rice and 200 goats worth of Biriyani was served during the festival days of last year.

The festival falls on the last Thursday of January and runs for the next three days. The festival is also a beautiful example of the inclusive tradition of the Hindu culture, assimilating and evolving giving everything a place than to discard and destroy.

Potato Wedges

Potato wedges, Baker's fry, Jojo, Tatar fry these irresistible wedges are known by many names around the world. The process of making them is simple, cut, boil, pepper salt, fridge, fry. Some folks soak them in milk, dip them in flour and then fry them.

Either way it will break your heart. ❤️

Christmas and New Year in Russia

 Let us have a quick read about how Christmas and New year are celebrated in a different way in Russia and why they are so:

1. Christmas was banned by the Soviet government for nearly 7 decades as a religious festival, gradually New year Celebration took its place. After the Perestroika and Glasnost of the 90's Christmas has come back though it is still celebrated on a low key. 

2. Russian Orthodox Church uses a Julian calendar while the rest of the world follows the Gregorian Calendar. The Julian Calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian and the Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. 

3. Children in Russia wait for Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) to bring them new year gifts than the Sanata Clauz we are familiar with. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Christmas and the use of Christmas tree are banned since 1929. The tree appears on New year eve and day celebrations.  

4.The New year Celebration is mostly a food party. A lot of food is cooked on the day like the famous Russian Salad, appetizers with red caviar and meat, enough to be served over the new year week. 

5.The new year celebration is a family  affair, on New Year's eve, everyone gets together by 10 pm for dinner, then they talk catching up with each others life, then watch an old soviet era movie. On the New year day, the president comes on TV and address the nation with a new year message at noon followed by the chiming of Kremlin bells for 12 times upon which everyone make a wish and raise a glass of champagne and make a toast.