Making of a sweet, sacred offering
DIVINE AND DELICIOUS Golden Temple’s karah parshad is made daily with the unique flavour of devotion and served in true Sikh spirit of equality among all. HT visits the shrine’s kitchen and soaks up the recipe and ritual of this delectable offering
AMRITSAR: The karah parshad (sacred offering) at Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, has a unique flavour of devotion and reverence known the world over.
In Sikhism, karah parshad is a type of semolina halwa made with almost equal quantities of whole wheat flour, desi ghee (clarified butter) and sugar.
The parshad is prepared in a two-storeyed kitchen situated near Akal Takht. Preparation of the parshad starts at 12.30 am daily and continues till late at night. “Besides two cooks and their helps, employees and devotees join the preparation,” says Nardeep Singh, the kitchen supervisor.
The semolina flour used is not available in the market. It is more granular than normal flour and is prepared from wheat at the langar hall.
The flour is sieved before it is parched. The desi ghee is poured in a huge kadhai. The flour is added once the ghee is adequately heated. Once the flour is roasted well, the thickened solution of sugar, which is prepared in equal quantity separately, is added to the mixture.
“In Sikhism, it is a tradition for the cook or devotees to prepare the karah parshad or langar while reciting the Gurbani or doing ‘jaap’ or chanting Satnam Wahe Guru,” says Diljit Singh Bedi, a spokesperson for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages the gurdwara affairs.
HOW IT IS SERVED
Before the parshad that is also called degh is served to devotees, it is dedicated to the kirpan or religious sword or small dagger at the kirpan bhent ceremony. An Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh touches the kirpan to the degh that is in a metallic, usually iron, bowl.
Bhupinder Singh, a cook at the kitchen, says the degh is then taken to the sanctum sanctorum before the ‘parkash’ or installation ceremony of Guru Granth Sahib around 1.30 am. This is for the sangat or devotees who perform sewa (service) of washing and cleaning the sanctum sanctorum.
Besides, it is a tradition that one degh is brought from Dera Baba Sham Singh situated nearby.
Apart from the act of serving the degh inside the sanctum sanctorum during Amrit Vela (early morning) diwan, the parshad is served almost throughout the day near Darshani Deodi, the entry to the sanctum sanctorum. It is served except for a few hours when doors of the
are closed. deodi
OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE
Degh is available for the offering at the counters which are part of the kitchen. The devotees pay money for taking degh for offering. The sewadars give them the degh either in steel thali or a disposable bowl made of leaves. Collecting from the counters, the devotees offer the degh outside the sanctum sanctorum. Accepting the offering of degh from devotees, the sewadars serve it among devotees by getting it touched with kirpan.
As a sign of humility and respect, visitors accept the offering with hands cupped and raised. Receiving the parshad in the right manner is a vital part of hospitality protocol. The sewadar serves the parshad to all, irrespective of religion or caste, in equal measure with the same bowl.
Devotees with a sweet tooth, many of them children, are seen receiving the karah parshad twice and thrice. The sewadars don’t hesitate to give the parshad
as many times as asked. “Though halwa is served as parshad at other places of worship, too, the taste of the karah parshad served at Golden Temple is unique,” says Meena Kumari, 35, a visitor from Jaipur.
“My children are so fond of the parshad at Harmandar Sahib that they insist I bring them here often,” says Satnam Singh, a local devotee.
PINNI PARSHAD
Pinni parshad is another form of karah parshad, introduced in 2012, made with lesser quantity of desi ghee and water. In the dry form, it lasts longer and is preferred by devotees keen on taking parshad with them to far-flung places.
Counters for pinni parshad are situated in the parkarma near Ber Baba Budha Jee and the devotees get it in packets. This is prepared in the kitchen where karah parsad is made.