Why does Lord Ganesha like Modak: Know the history and health benefits of Modak, why it is a symbol of happiness and prosperity.
Lord Ganesha is such a deity who is worshiped in his child form. His favorite delicacy Modak and his ride Mushka make his image even more attractive. That’s why he is very close to the hearts of children. ‘My Friend Ganesha’ is also the most popular series of films made for children in Indian cinema.
Question: Why is Modak offered to Lord Ganesha?
Answer: Modak is the favorite offering of Lord Ganesha. There are many stories prevalent in religion and spirituality regarding this. One of these stories is that once Goddess Anusuya, wife of sage Atri, invited all the gods for a meal. There Lord Shiva was eating food with his family. Mother Anusuya continued serving food to Lord Ganesha, but he was not satisfied. When the last plate of food was left, Mother Anusuya put Modak in his plate instead of food. As soon as he ate it, he burped loudly. This was a sign of satisfaction and fulfillment. Immediately after this Lord Shiva had 21 belches. Seeing this, Mother Parvati was very impressed. He said that whoever offers 21 Modak’s to Lord Ganesha will be blessed with happiness and prosperity.
The second story related to this is that once Lord Shiva was resting. Ganesh ji was guarding the door fearing any disturbance. At the same time Parashuram reached there and expressed his desire to meet Lord Shiva. Seeing Lord Shiva resting, Lord Ganesha stopped him at the door. Due to this, Parashuram became angry and started fighting with Ganeshji. In this war, one of Lord Ganesha’s teeth was broken due to the attack of Parshu. When he had difficulty in eating, Mother Parvati made him soft Modak’s. Ganesh ji liked this very much. Since then, Modak has been his favorite indulgence.
Question: Is there mention of Modak in Ramayana and Mahabharata also?
Answer: Yes, description of Modak is also found in Ramayana and Mahabharata period. Modak has been described as the best sweet in the Anu shastra Parva of Mahabharata. Whereas it has been mentioned in the Lanka Kand (war incident) of Ramayana. Apart from this, it has also been described in Agni Purana.
Question: Has Modak been mentioned in contemporary history?
Answer: King Someshwar II of Chalukya dynasty composed the book ‘Manas Ollas’. It covers many subjects like politics, governance, ethics, economics, astrology, astronomy, horticulture, perfumery, food, veterinary medicine, sports, painting, poetry, sports, architecture, dance and music. Modak is also mentioned in it. However, in this book Modak is called varsopalgolak. Apart from this, there is also a statue of Lord Ganesha in the caves of Ellora, in which he is seen eating something in the shape of Modak.
Question: What is the meaning of the shape of Lord Ganesha’s favorite Modak?
Answer: Modak is shaped like a bundle of money. Therefore, it is considered a symbol of wealth and happiness and prosperity. Apart from this, its shape looks like a triangle pointing upwards. Therefore, it is also considered a symbol of Shiva and spirituality.
Question: What are the ingredients and method of preparing Modak?
Answer: If we are making Modak at home then we will have to collect necessary ingredients for it. First of all, you have to collect rice flour, grated coconut, green cardamom, jaggery, salt and ghee.
First of all, we have to prepare the stuffing. For this, the grated coconut is roasted on low flame. Then let it cool. Then boil the jaggery powder in water and add green cardamom to it. After this add coconut and mix well. With this our stuffing is ready. Now it’s Duff’s turn. For this, take rice flour and mix water and salt in it. Knead it and leave it for half an hour to swell properly. Then make small balls of dough and shape them into puris. Fill it with stuffing and give it the shape of Modak. After that they are cooked thoroughly in steam. Just the beloved Modak’s of Lord Ganesha are ready to be served.
Question: Does Modak have any health benefits?
Answer: Modak’s are very beneficial for heart health. This has also been mentioned in Charak Samhita. It is eaten to balance digestion in many types of doshas. Ingredients like ghee, coconut and dry fruits present in it reduce bad cholesterol level and increase good cholesterol. Despite being sweet, Modak’s are beneficial for diabetic people because jaggery is used in it for sweetness. The glycemic index of jaggery is much lower than that of sugar. The antioxidants present in coconut and dry fruits protect the body from harmful free radicals and keep it young for a long time.