shivratri special

Himachal Pradesh including other states  celebrate Shivratri distributing Ghota, a concoction made with charas/bhang, almonds, fruits and milk, among the devotees as prasad in all the temples. 

Bhang (i.e., fragments of the ganja) is ground and put into milk mixed up with cardamoms, almonds, poppy seed, sugar, sweet fennel, nutmeg, black pepper and mace, and strained several times
and drunk. This is called bhang ghota.

The classes who drink bhang ghota are bairagis, gosavis, and on Shivaratra day a fewmore Hindus, mostly cooks, water-carriers, songsters, and other licentious characters. This kind of drinking prevails in the country lying north of the Narbada river. The proportion of the people who drink bhang ghota is very small.

courtesy by:mail.dailypioneer.com

Bijli Mahadev Temple in Kullu, Siyali Mahadev Temple in Manali, Anjani Mahadev Temple in Solang, Neel Kanth Mahadev Temple in Bran, Brajeshwar Mahadev Temple in Bajaura and Shiv temples of Manikaran, Lag Valley and Banjar,  thare some of the areas in Himachal were  charas-ghota is prepared at a large scale and devotees are  free to drink to their fill. Women of the district help in ghota preparation in traditional huge copper pans.

Beverages made from bhang are known under different names in different parts of India. They are called thandai, siddhi, sawi and sukhe in the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. In Bombay and central India they are generally known as bhang, ghota, or pang; in Bengal, sidhi; in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, dudhii; in south India ramras or ram rasain.

 Courtesy by:-Bhaang ka Ghota - Shivratri Fair. in: Bizzare India by: rajesh bhandari

Kangri Cuisines

Taste can just give a mind boggling sense of feeling when we hear about Kangri Dham.This dham is a traditional and occasional dish for the people living in Kangra, and is prepared specially on marriages. Boti's who are to be Brahman are hired for this special task. Preparation for this food starts overnight with the help of neighbors by cutting all the vegetables like tomato, potatoes, beans, gobi, washing pulses etc.The food is created in special vessels using a variety of ingredients in it, which include some special Masalas, flavours and some dry fruits.

In the Kangri Dham includes many delicious and special dishes including plain rice, Madra (Panner, Rajmah, Mukund Badi/ Sepu Badi, While Grams etc.) different kinds of pulses and one of the best and popular is Chane ka Khatta, Palda and Meethe Chawal (sweet rice). 

This Dham is served on Patals(Leaves of a tree) which complete the whole tradition.
People sit on ground to take their lunch, and Boti's serve these dishes one by one. In tradition at last the there is meethe chawal, sweetened red rice with dry fruits and saffron.

 The food is cooked in copper vessels which impart a special flavor to the dishes. The main course will have a choice of bread - babroo, chawal ki kadak roti and beduan roti.

Courtesy by: www.tripadvisor.in

   

This is very popular dham in Kangra district and over all areas in Himachal Pradesh.  As dialect changes from one region to another the traditional food varies itself. Other dhams which are famous in Himachal Pradesh include Mandyali dham, Chambiyali dham and offcourse Kangri dham and many others too.

This picture  is not exactly  resembling a Kangri Dham , but these are actually different dishes  which are used by the boti's in the preparation of Dham's whether its kangri or mandyali dham.