Palani Panchamirtham, which is prepared in the Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani, Dindigul District, continues to be among the most sought-after items from the temple. The unique taste of the offering comes from the mixing of five main ingredients in specific quantities – banana, country sugar, ghee, honey, and cardamom.
The present kitchen in which Palani Panchamirtham is made was built in 2008 and upgraded in 2010. The product is produced with great care so that every batch tastes the same. In the off-season period, the kitchen produces about 20,000 to 30,000 jars and tins per day. During peak seasons, this figure increases up to 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh per day.
The prasadam is also called an ‘abhishega prasadam’, which is a ritual food offering to be offered during the abhishegam of Lord Dhandayuthapani Swamy. Around 500 grams of it is offered daily for the abhishegam of the Utsavar.
The origins of Palani Panchamirtham date back to the 9th century AD. According to legend, the temple was founded by a Chera king named Cheraman Peruman. There are references to this prasadam in Tamil literature. The prasadam is also mentioned in songs written by Pamban Swamigal.
As per reports, bananas that grew on hills and honey are found in the hilly area near Palani. These are donated by the devotees to make the prasadam. For a batch of 1,020 jars and 1,060 cans, the kitchen uses 288 kg of country sugar, 152 kg of peeled bananas, 6 kg of ghee, 2 kg of honey, and 0.50 kg of cardamom. The other raw materials include 25 kg of dates and 15 kg of diamond sugar candy.
‘Naatu sakkarai’ or country sugar is sourced weekly from the regulated market located in Kavindapadi in Erode District. This is what contributes to the uniqueness of Palani Panchamirtham.
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