Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prasad made from millets

The Centre’s effort to promote millets has found its way to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. The famed temple in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency will now offer devotees prasad made from millets.

The laddu prasad at the temple will now be known as Sri Anna prasad, a senior official said on Sunday (March 5). Recently, PM Modi termed millets “Sri Anna”, which means “the best among all foodgrains”.

The decision to introduce Sri Anna prasad at the temple was taken at the instructions of the Uttar Pradesh government, the official said, adding that special care has been taken to ensure quality.

Also read: What India can learn from Odisha’s cultivation of hardy, nutritious millets

Women’s self-help groups associated with the National Rural Livelihood Mission prepare the offering for the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Now, they will make Sri Anna prasad, said Chief Development Officer, Varanasi, Himanshu Nagpal.

Sunita Jaiswal, president of a self-help group, said the Sri Anna prasad is made from millets, jaggery, sesame seeds, cashew, almond, pure ghee, and khoya. Currently, packets containing 100 and 200 grams of laddus are available for sale at the temple, she said.

The price of the prasad will remain unchanged.

(With agency inputs)