4 minutes agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
- copy link
Ganpati Bappa has been installed in various places across the country with pomp and show. This festival, which began on the Chaturthi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapad month, will continue for 10 days. Every day there will be proclamation of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’. People will make many wishes from Ganpati ji, from wisdom to happiness and good fortune.
Lord Ganesha is such a deity who is worshipped in his child form. His favourite food Modak and his vehicle mouse make his image even more attractive. That is why he is very close to the hearts of children. The most popular series among the films made for children in Indian cinema is also ‘My Friend Ganesha’.
so today ‘news of need‘ In this article we will talk about Modak, the favorite offering of Ganpati Bappa. Along with this we will know that-
- How old is the history of Modak?
- Why does Lord Ganesha like Modaks so much?
- What are the medicinal properties of Modak?
- What is the recipe for making Modak?
Question: Why are Modaks offered to Lord Ganesha?
answer: Lord Ganesha’s favourite food is Modak. There are many stories prevalent in religion and spirituality about this. One of these stories is that once Rishi Atri’s wife Devi Anusuya invited all the gods for a meal. There Lord Shiva was having a meal with his family. Mother Anusuya kept serving food to Lord Ganesha continuously, but he was not getting satisfied. When the last plate of food was left, Mother Anusuya placed Modak in his plate instead of food. As soon as he ate it, he burped loudly. This was a sign of satisfaction and fulfillment. Immediately after this, Lord Shiva burped 21 times. Seeing this, Mother Parvati was very impressed. She said that whoever offers 21 Modak Prasad to Lord Ganesha will get happiness and prosperity.
Another story related to this is that once Lord Shiva was resting. Ganesh ji was guarding the door fearing that he might disturb him. During that time Parshuram reached there and expressed his desire to meet Shiva. Seeing Lord Shiva resting, Ganesh ji stopped him at the door. This made Parshuram angry and he started fighting with Ganesh ji. In this war, one of Ganesh ji’s teeth broke due to the blow of Parshu. He had trouble eating, so Mother Parvati made soft Modaks and gave them to him. Ganesh ji liked them very much. Since then Modaks have been his favorite offering.
Question: Is there a mention of Modak in Ramayana and Mahabharata also?
answer: Yes, Modak is mentioned in Ramayana and Mahabharata period as well. In Mahabharata’s Anushasana Parva, Modak is described as the best sweet. While it is mentioned in Lanka Kand (Yuddha Kand) of Ramayana. Apart from this, it is also described in Agni Purana. However, with time and place, the method of making it has been changing. Today more than 21 types of Modak are made in India.
Question: Is Modak mentioned in contemporary history?
answer: King Someshwara II of the Chalukya dynasty composed the book ‘Manasollasa’. It covers a wide range of topics such as politics, governance, ethics, economics, astrology, astronomy, gardening, perfumes, food, veterinary science, sports, painting, poetry, games, architecture, dance and music. Modak is also mentioned in it. However, in this book, Modak has been called Varsopalagolaka.
Apart from this, there is a statue of Lord Ganesha in the Ellora caves, in which he is seen eating something shaped like modak. See it in the graphic.
Question: What is the significance of the shape of Lord Ganesha’s favourite Modak?
answer: The shape of Modak is like a bundle of money. Therefore, it is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Apart from this, its shape looks like a triangle pointing upwards. Therefore, it is also considered a symbol of Shiva and spirituality.
Question: What are the ingredients and method to prepare Modak?
answer: If we are making modaks at home, then we will have to gather the necessary ingredients for it. First of all, we will have to gather rice flour, grated coconut, green cardamom, jaggery, salt and ghee.
First of all we have to prepare the stuffing. For this, roast the grated coconut on low flame. Then let it cool down. Then boil the jaggery powder in water, add green cardamom to it. After this, add coconut and mix it well. This prepares our stuffing.
Now it is the turn of the dough. For this, take rice flour and add water and salt to it. Knead it and leave it for half an hour to swell well. Then make small balls of dough and give them the shape of puri. Fill stuffing in it and give it the shape of modak. After that, cook them well in steam. Lord Ganesha’s favorite modak is ready for bhog. See the method of making it in the graphic below.
Question: Does Modak have any health benefits?
answer: Modaks are very beneficial for heart health. It is also mentioned in Charak Samhita. It is eaten to balance digestion in many types of doshas. Ingredients like ghee, coconut and dry fruits present in it reduce bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol. Despite being sweet, modaks are beneficial for diabetic people because jaggery is used for sweetness in it. The glycemic index of jaggery is much lower than that of sugar. The anti-oxidants present in coconut and dry fruits protect the body from harmful free radicals and keep you young for a long time.