The dumplings of happiness

There is much more to Lord Ganesha’s favourite modak and its choice as a prasad than just the soulful feel that this simple sweet leaves one with, notes Monalisa Kar

There is something inexplicably endearing about the modak or the kangiten as the Japanese would call theirs. For starters, these are extremely endearing. But were those the few good reasons for the modak to become a beloved of Lord Ganesha, and a staple during Ganesh Chaturthi? One often wonders as to what made modak, the choice, over some of the other favourites of the beloved Vighanharta like the in-season sweet coconut, banana, laddoo and the range of other fruits and sweets that can be offered to him. Fascinatingly, unlike other deities where there are dos and don’ts about the offering, almost anything can be offered to Lord Ganesha. And during the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, it is quite visible as he is offered everything from kheer to halwa to laddoos to mishri badam, or even a bowl of seasonal, indigenous fruits. But one thing that is constant during the period is modak, especially ukdiche modak, which isn’t one of the oldest iterations of the sweet dumpling dating to the Charak Samhita era, but also the one Maharaja Shivaji made famous by making it a part of his Ganesh Utsav.

But what is it about the modak, a simple treat made with coconut, jaggery, nutmeg and cinnamon encased in a rice ball, that made it supreme? The answer to this incidentally is a curiously acceptable blend of folklores and ancient science. According to the oft-told tales, modak became a favourite of Lord Ganesha not only because it was given as a reward to him by Goddess Parvati on completing her challenge of encircling the earth — which Lord Ganesha did by going around his parents; but also because of it being one of the sweet treats that finally satiated a perennially hungry lord. The story has it that Sage Atri’s wife Anasuya knowing the elephant god’s appetite for sweets and food decided to feed him modak, which led to Lord Shiva burping 21 times while satiating his son. That incident started the tradition of offering 21 modaks during the festival. Of course, the more on-ground history dates to 271 BC when Ganesh Utsav began as a post-monsoon festival as a tribute to the elephants and was eventually adopted as a court festival during the reign of Satavahana, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya dynasties and later the royals of Baroda and Gwalior. What made the modak a part of the celebration? According to culinary alchemist Chef Sharad Dewan, “modak is considered an antidote. Old medical texts like the Sushruta Samhita mentions the use of Abhayadi Modak and Shatavari Modak for a wide variety of maladies including digestion, fertility, laxative and even as a post-surgery meal for health. This was one of the many reasons that Buddhism too adopted this unique sweet treat as part of their healing recipes and took it to different parts of the world, including Japan. Two, was modak’s inherent quality as this satiating, calming dish with an unparalleled palate appeal thanks to the way the local produce of rice, coconut and jaggery are treated.”

The fact, continues Chef Dewan, “that the treat has both slow cooked and steaming as part of its making process ensures that modaks are not just easy to digest for all, but come with an added bonus of instant energy release thanks to the filling of coconut and jaggery, and a low glycemic index as well that ensures you are full for a long period of time.”

Concurs culinary anthropologist Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, who finds modak or the Odia brethren monda pitha to be a “culinary innovation masterpiece.” Think about it, says Chef Gorai, “in its composition it almost is like kheer with all its calming properties. The rice powder in modak is first soaked, dried, pounded and then cooked into a dough that breaks down the different nutritive elements to a form that is quick to digest. The steaming of modak not only makes it a safer way to eat food but with the bonus of amino acid called glutamine, which works towards keeping the mind calm and de-stressed. And lastly, the flavour profile that works on a staid palate which due to the season change often doesn’t register much of flavours.” That perhaps explains why the first bite of modak, apart from filling one, also gives that feeling of solace. And why both, Shivaji Maharaj who turned Ganesh Mahotsav into a kingdom celebration, and later freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak who turned the Ganesh Mahotsav, Sarbojanin, continued the practice of having modak as part of the main prasad thus leading to our continued association. The modak’s ability to realign the circadian rhythm along with its proven prowess to satiate one has over the years only added to its value as a prasad and a happiness dumpling.

No wonder that modak was Lord Ganesha’s food of choice while writing the famous epic, Mahabharata as told by Maharishi Ved Vyas.