prasadam

Prasadam, also spelled prasād or prasadam, is a religious offering in Hinduism and related Indian traditions in which food is presented to a deity or guru during worship and then distributed to devotees as blessed food. The term is derived from Sanskrit prasāda, meaning grace, favor, or blessing, reflecting the belief that the deity’s grace has transformed the food into a sacred nourishment.

In temple rites, a priest prepares naivedya (food offerings) and offers them to the deity with recitations and ritual motions such as arati. After the deity is believed to accept the offering, the prasad is returned to the devotees in the form of food, water, or symbolic items. Receiving prasadam is considered a sharing of divine mercy and a tangible sign of the deity’s blessing. It also serves to unify the community as people eat together.

Prasadam is typically vegetarian and may include fruits, grains, sweets, cooked dishes, or blessed liquids. The exact form varies by tradition, temple, and festival; some practices emphasize distributing larger portions at darshan or after ritual meals.

Across Hindu traditions—especially Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism—the practice is widespread, with regional customs shaping what is offered and how it is distributed. In modern temples and in diaspora communities, prasadam is often a central feature of outreach and daily worship, serving both devotional and social functions.