The Legend Behind Payasam
- August 14, 2020
Payasam, kheer, phirni, payasa; call it by any name, it tastes equally delicious. Prepared from just three basic ingredients i.e. milk, sugar, and rice, payasam is a type of rice pudding which is relished as a sweet dish in India. It is also offered to the presiding deity in many temples, especially in the temple of Krishna. Here’s why.
Krishna, in the form of an old sage, challenged the king of Ambalapuzha (in modern-day Kerala) to a game of chess. The prize, if he won, would be one grain of rice on the first square of the chessboard, two on the second, four on the third and so on, doubling the amount on the previous square. The king brashly agreed.
Krishna, of course, won the game. The king started placing the rice grains and was shocked to see their number grow exponentially. By the end, he owed Krishna trillions of tons of rice!
To receive more such stories in your Inbox & WhatsApp, Please share your Email and Mobile number.
Amused at the king’s confusion, Krishna revealed himself and said,
You don’t have to give it all today. Just provide payasam to every pilgrim who comes to my temple here, in search of comfort.”
Krishna’s wish is honoured even today and payasam is served freely to all who visit the Ambalapuzha Krishna temple in Kerala’s Alapuzha district.
To receive more such stories in your Inbox & WhatsApp, Please share your Email and Mobile number.
Related Articles
Comic of The Month
The Sons of Rama
The story of Rama and Sita was first set down by the sage Valmiki in his epic poem 'Ramayana.' Rama was the eldest son of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya, who had three wives - Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. Rama was the son of Kaushalya, Bharata of Kaikeyi and Laxmana and Shatrughna of Sumitra. The four princes grew up to be brave and valiant. Rama won the hand of Sita, the daughter of King Janaka. Dasharatha wanted to crown Rama as the king but Kaikeyi objected. Using boons granted to her by Dasharatha earlier, she had Rama banished to the forest. Sita and Laxmana decided to follow Rama. While in the forest, a Rakshasi, Shoorpanakha, accosted Laxmana but had her nose cut off by him. In revenge, her brother Ravana, king of Lanka, carried Sita away. Rama and Laxmana set out to look for her and with the help of an army of monkeys, defeated Ravana. On returning Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, Rama banished Sita because of the suspicions of his subjects. In the ashrama of sage Valmiki, she gave birth to her twin sons, Luv and Kush.
20 Minute Read
