Sri Rama Navami: Panakam, Vadapappu and the Festival Sweets

Sri Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Rama, and falls in Chaitra, usually in March or April, right as the summer heat begins. In the Telugu states the day is marked by Sita Rama Kalyanam, the celebration of their wedding, at temples and in homes.

Panakam and vadapappu

The two offerings everyone associates with Rama Navami are wonderfully simple. Panakam is a cool drink of jaggery dissolved in water with black pepper, cardamom and dried ginger. Vadapappu is soaked moong dal, sometimes with a little grated coconut or cucumber. Both are cooling in the heat, which is part of the reason they belong to this festival.

They are offered to Rama and then shared with everyone who visits the temple or the home.

The kalyanam

The most famous celebration is the kalyanam at Bhadrachalam, broadcast across the Telugu states, but neighbourhood temples hold their own, and many homes do a small one too. Guests are given panakam, vadapappu and something sweet.

Sweets to add

Because panakam is built on jaggery, jaggery sweets sit well beside it. Bellam halwa, bellam gavvalu and sunnundalu all match the flavour. For guests after the kalyanam, laddu and kaja are easy to hand out.

In the heat

Rama Navami is often hot. Choose sweets that keep at room temperature, store milk sweets in the fridge, and serve panakam fresh.