Panchamrita

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Panchamrita generally refers to a concoction used in Hindu worship services. It is a Sanskrit word, a combination of two words - Panch, meaning five and Amrita, meaning nectar. As its name implies, it is made of five ingredients, usually, milk, ghee, curd, honey, and jaggery.

Each of the 'nectars' has an origin in Hindu tradition. The milk is that of Kamadhenu (the wish-fulfilling heavenly cow), the curd represents the white, smooth and cool lustre of the moon, the ghee is the food of the gods themselves with a long Vedic past, honey - the extract of all herbs, is the essence of life with herbal healing powers and jaggery - the extract of sugarcane, a representation and the epitome of sweetness.

Panchamrita is offered to gods and distributed to devotees on special days.