Ganesh Chaturthi is a time of worship, happiness and celebration, with lots of colours and food. Preparing bhog or food offerings is a way to seek blessings from Lord Ganesha who is believed to bring prosperity and wisdom. While Modak, a sweet dumpling made from rice or wheat flour and stuffed with jaggery, coconut and dry fruits is Lord Ganesha’s favourite, countless other offerings vary from region to region.
From fruits to elaborate thalis of sweets and savouries, each offering has its significance during the festival. As families come together to celebrate, preparing prasad becomes a sacred ritual, a symbol of love, devotion and gratitude to the divine.
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In addition to traditional sweets, milk-based drinkable prasad can be a nice and refreshing addition to your Ganesh Chaturthi offerings. Beverages like Kesar milk, badam milk and thandai made with saffron, almonds and cardamom are a unique and nourishing option that fits the festive mood. These milk-based drinks not only add variety to the prasad but also bring in tradition and warmth to your celebrations.
Offering these sacred delights during Ganesh Chaturthi adds to the joy and devotion of the festival, making the occasion even more special.
Milk-Based Prasad For Ganesh Chaturthi
Basundi Or Rabdi
Like Rabdi in North India, Basundi is a milk-based dessert prepared during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi. Boil milk till it reduces and thickens to a rich creamy consistency. Add aromatic spices like cardamom, saffron and nutmeg and you can also add seasonal fruits like mango puree or custard apple. This dessert is a must-have during the festival season as prasad.
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Kesar Badam Milk
Kesar Badam Milk is called a golden elixir. It’s a rich and nutritious drink made with saffron and almonds. To serve as prasad during Ganesh Chaturthi, soak and peel almonds and grind them with turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, saffron and black pepper. Add mishri to the warm milk and serve this fragrant drink as prasad to Lord Ganesha.
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Thandai
Thandai is a festival drink made by grinding almonds, cashews, peppercorns, aniseed, cardamom and fennel seeds into a paste. This cooling drink is very popular during festivals and can be further enhanced by adding dried rose petals, saffron strands and more. Perfect as prasad, thandai gives a new twist to traditional milk-based drinks during Ganesh Chaturthi.
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Piyush
Piyush is a luxurious creamy drink made by blending shrikhand, buttermilk and milk with spices like cardamom and nutmeg. Top with slivered almonds and pistachios. This rich and flavourful prasad is sure to please Lord Ganesha.
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Panchamrit
Panchamrit means five nectars of the gods. It is a simple offering made with five ingredients: milk, yoghurt, honey, sugar and ghee. Each of these represents purity, devotion, prosperity and happiness. This is a traditional offering during festivals and poojas.
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Rose Milk
Rose milk is a fragrant and refreshing drink perfect for festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi. Made by adding rose syrup or rose water to chilled milk, this is a lovely drink that can be garnished with slivered almonds and pistachios.
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The subtle rose flavour with the richness of milk is a prasad that is soothing and visually appealing and adds elegance to the offerings.