Mohanthal

Last updated

Mohanthal
Mohanthal1.jpg
Mohanthal sweet served in a platter
Alternative namesMohanthar
Course Dessert
Place of origin India
Region or state Western India
Main ingredients Besan (gram flour), condensed milk, sugar
Variations Besan chakki, Dal Badam Chakki

Mohanthal is a traditional besan (gram flour) based Indian sweet which is regarded as favourite of Hindu god Krishna [1] and hence prepared on Krishna Janamashtami festival. The sweet Mohanthal is named after Krishna as Mohan is an epithet for Him. Mohanthal forms an quintessential part of bhog in Pushtimarg temples. It is common in the Braj, Rajasthan and Gujarat regions of India where influence of Pushtimarg tradition is higher.

Mohanthal is made from besan, ghee, and sugar and can be combined with many other ingredients, such as spices and nuts. [2] [3] [4] As with other sweets from the Indian subcontinent it is commonly consumed at religious festivals such as Diwali, [5] Krishna Janamashtami or as prasad , an offering at a Mandir.

Mohanthal Mohanthar.jpg
Mohanthal

Etymology

The word Mohanthal is compound of two words: Mohan and thal. Mohan is a Sanskrit word and is used an epithet for Hindu God Shri Krishna. [6] Mohan also means something which is attractive, captivating or enticing. The name Mohan is used for Shri Krishna due to his attractive personality. The word Thāl is derivative of Sanskrit word Sthāla [7] which means a plate and here refers to plate in which this Bhog is set. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishna Janmashtami</span> Hindu festival celebrating Krishnas birth

Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. In certain Hindu texts, such as the Gita Govinda, Krishna has been identified as supreme God and the source of all avatars. Krishna's birth is celebrated and observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight in Shravana Masa. According to the purnimanta tradition), Krishna's birth is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight in Bhadrapada Masa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laddu</span> Spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent

Laddu or laddoo is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajasthani cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Rajasthan region in North West India

Rajasthani cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Rajasthan state in north-west India. It was influenced by various factors like the warlike lifestyles of its inhabitants, the availability of ingredients in an arid region and by Hindu temple traditions of sampradayas like Pushtimarg and Ramanandi. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred.

Mithai (sweets) are the confectionery and desserts of the Indian subcontinent. Thousands of dedicated shops in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sell nothing but sweets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrinathji</span> Form of Krishna, manifest as a seven-year-old child

Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old child. The principal shrine of Shrinathji is the Shrinathji Temple in the temple city of Nathdwara, 48 kilometres north-east of Udaipur city in Rajasthan, India. Shrinathji is the central presiding deity of the Vaishnava sect known as Pushtimarg or the Vallabha Sampradaya, established by Vallabhacharya. Shrinathji is worshipped mainly by the followers of Bhakti Yoga and the Vaishnavas in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and Bhatias amongst others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gujarati cuisine</span> Cuisine of Gujarat, India

Gujarati cuisine is the cuisine of the Indian state of Gujarat. The typical Gujarati thali consists of rotli, dal or curry, rice, and shaak. The thali will also include preparations made from pulses or whole beans such as moong, black eyed beans etc., a snack item (farsaan) like dhokla, pathra, samosa, fafda, etc. and a sweet (mishthaan) like mohanthal, jalebi, sevaiya etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radhashtami</span> Hindu festival commemorating birthday of goddess Radha

Radhashtami is a Hindu religious day commemorating the birth anniversary of the goddess Radha, the chief consort of the god Krishna. It is celebrated in her birthplace Barsana and the entire Braj region on the eighth day (ashtami) of the bright (waxing) half of the lunar month of Bhadrapada. Radhashtami falls fifteen days after Krishna Janmashtami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadhi</span> Yogurt-based Dish from India

Kadhi or karhi is a yogurt-based dish originating from Rajasthan, india. It's made by simmering yogurt with besan and indian spices until it forms a thick, tangy gravy. Sometimes, it's also mixed with pakoras. It is often eaten with cooked rice or roti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peda</span> Indian confection

Peda or Pera is an Indian sweet that originated in the city of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. Traditionally prepared as thick, semi-soft round balls, its main ingredients are khoa, sugar and traditional flavourings including cardamom seeds. It is brown in colour. Variant spellings and names for the dessert include pedha, penda and pera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghevar</span> Indian dessert

Ghevar or Ghewar is a disc-shaped Rajasthani sweet with a honeycomb-like texture, made from ghee, maida, and sugar syrup. It is traditionally associated with the month of Shraavana and the festivals of Teej and Raksha Bandhan. It is a part of Rajasthani tradition and is gifted to newly married daughter on Sinjara, the day preceding Gangaur and Teej. It is also one of the Chhapan Bhog served to the Lord Krishna. Besides Rajasthan, it is also famous in the adjoining states of Haryana, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soan papdi</span> Indian dessert

Soan papdi, also known as san papri, shompapri, sohan papdi, shonpapdi is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent. It is made of gram flour (besan), all-purpose flour, ghee, sugar and milk. It is usually cube-shaped or served as flakes, and has a crisp and flaky texture. Traditionally sold loose in rolled paper cones, modern industrial production has led to it being sold in the form of tightly formed cubes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panjiri</span> Traditional Indian Ayurvedic sweet

Panjiri is a Ayurvedic sweet dish from the Indian subcontinent which is specially prepared for Krishna Janmashtami festival. The sweet panjiri evolved from an Ayurvedic preparation called Panchajīraka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gujhia</span> Indian sweet dish

Gujhia, also known as Gughara, Pedakiya, Purukiya, Karanji, Kajjikayalu, Somas, and Karjikayi, is a sweet, deep-fried pastry that is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent. This delicacy is made using either suji (semolina) or maida, which is stuffed with a mixture of sweetened khoa and dried fruits. The dumpling is then fried in ghee to give it a crispy texture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Govardhan Puja</span> Hindu festival

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut or Annakoot, is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali. Devotees worship Govardhan Hill and prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Krishna as a mark of gratitude. For Vaishnavas, this day commemorates the incident in the Bhagavata Purana when Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to provide the villagers of Vrindavan shelter from torrential rains. This incident symbolizes God offering protection to devotees who take singular refuge in him. Devotees offer a mountain of food, metaphorically representing the Govardhan Hill, to God as a ritual remembrance and to renew their faith in taking refuge in God. The festival is observed by most Hindu denominations all over India and abroad.

Bihari cuisine is eaten mainly in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, as well as in the places where people originating from the state of Bihar have settled: Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, some cities of Pakistan, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Jamaica, and the Caribbean. Bihari cuisine includes Angika cuisine, Bhojpuri cuisine, Maithil cuisine and Magahi cuisine. Dal Puri

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laapsi</span> Indian sweet dish

Laapsi or lapsi is an Indian sweet dish made using grain flour or broken wheat and ghee, along with milk, nuts, raisins and other dried fruits. Lapsi is commonly prepared during Hindu ceremonies and is served as a religious offering to Devtas. Lapsi forms an integral part of North Indian cuisine and has many variants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madan Mohan Temple, Karauli</span> Hindu temple of Krishna in Karauli, Rajasthan

Shri Radha Madan Mohan Ji Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Karauli, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The temple is located on the banks of the Bhadravati River, a tributary of the Banas River in the hills of Aravali. It is located in the braj region. The temple is dedicated to Madan Mohan form of Krishna. In the central altar, Krishna is flanked with the icons of his consort Radha and Lalita on either side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suji ka halwa</span> Semolina halva

Suji ka Halwa or Mohan Bhog is a type of halvah made by toasting semolina in a fat like ghee or oil, and adding a sweetener like sugar syrup, honey, or jaggery powder. It can be served for breakfast or as a dessert item. The basic recipe is made with just semolina, sugar or honey, ghee, and sometimes milk. Variations on this include dried or fresh fruits, nuts, shredded coconut, and other toppings. Wheat flour is often used as a substitute if semolina is not available, but virtually any starch can be used to make Suji ka Halwa.

Shri Dwarkadhish Temple is a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. In this historic temple, Krishna is worshipped in his Dwarkanath or Dwarkadhish form along with his feminine counterpart goddess Radha in form of Radharani. The temple belongs to Pushtimarg tradition.

Braj Cuisine is a style of traditional cooking originating from Braj region of Northern India, particularly states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. This sacred land, revered as the childhood home of Lord Krishna, has given rise to a unique gastronomic culture that embodies the principles of Satvik food. Characterized by an abundance of fresh dairy products, such as milk, cream, butter, ghee, mawa, yogurt, buttermilk and chhena, Braj cuisine is a testament to the region's devotion to Lord Krishna, the divine cowherd.

References

  1. "Mohan Thal Recipe". Indian Vegetarian Recipes in Hindi | NishaMadhulika.com (in Hindi). 20 June 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2023. Mohan Thal is a traditional sweet made with besan gram flour, and dry fruits. It is considered to be one of the favorite sweets of Lord Krishna.
  2. Desai, Anjali H. (2007). India Guide Gujarat. India Guide Publications. p. 368. ISBN   9780978951702.
  3. "Diwali 2017 Special: 10 Tasty Diwali Sweet Recipes". The Financial Express. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. "Rajasthan Festival 2018: 5 Rajasthani Dishes You Should Try To Celebrate The Royal State". NDTV.com. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Mohanthal Recipe - Traditional Diwali Sweet - Gram Flour Fudge". foodviva.com. Retrieved 3 May 2023. Mohanthal is a traditional Gujarati sweet which is usually prepared on the festivals of Diwali and Janmashtami, also popular in Rajasthan.....Mohan is another name of the Lord Krishna and Thal means bhog (dish) in Gujarati, as this sweet is usually served as Bhog (prasad) to the God.
  6. "Janmashtami 2022: How Did Mohanthal Get Its Name". Slurrp. Retrieved 3 May 2023. this dessert used to be the favorite of Lord Krishna and because of this, it was named mohanthal. Interestingly, 'Mohan' means Krishna while 'thal' means bhog or prashad. Because of being loved by Lord Krishna, this dessert was named so and is still offered to the deity.
  7. Turner, R. L. (Ralph Lilley) (1962–1966). "A Comparative Dictionary of Indo-Aryan Languages". dsal.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2023.