Hindu: spices in ritual
Turmeric and kumkum at the puja, incense, camphor and the prasad of the temple.
In Hindu practice, spices appear in worship, in festival food and in the kitchen, and several, especially turmeric, are described by many practitioners as auspicious. Customs differ widely by region, family and sect.
In worship
Turmeric and kumkum, a red powder often made from turmeric, are applied to images and to the forehead in many households. Sandalwood paste, camphor, incense and cloves or cardamom are offered at puja in some traditions. Practice varies by temple and family.
In food and festivals
Offerings of food, called prasad, are often sweet and spiced with cardamom or saffron. During Navratri and other fasts, many observers use only certain spices, such as rock salt, cumin and black pepper, in line with the rules of the fast they keep. Satvik cooking, followed by some, avoids onion and garlic, and often uses asafoetida in their place.
In ceremony
Turmeric is applied in the haldi ceremony before many weddings and is tied to a thread in some rites. Spices, rice and betel leaf appear in rituals marking births, marriages and remembrance. Those who keep these customs describe them as expressions of blessing and purity.
Hindu on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreBasil
A tender culinary herb with glossy leaves and a licorice-like aroma, native to tropical Asia.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreSaffronزعفران
The dried crimson stigmas of the autumn-blooming saffron crocus.Stigma · Sharp and pungent · Bitter
🇮🇳 IndiaErode TurmericErodu Manjal
A Geographical Indication turmeric from Tamil Nadu with high curcumin content.Root · Earthy and deep · Bitter
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 morePoppy seed
The tiny kidney-shaped oilseed of the opium poppy, used in baking and cooking across Europe and South Asia.Seed · Earthy and deep
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGreater galangalข่า
The pungent rhizome of a ginger relative, essential in Southeast Asian soups and curries.Root · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreAsafoetida
A pungent gum-resin from the Ferula plant, used as a garlic and onion substitute in South Asian cooking.Resin · Sharp and pungent · Earthy and deep
🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreThyme
The dried leaves of a Mediterranean mint-family herb, used to perfume stews and baths alike.Leaf · Earthy and deep · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreMugwort艾草 (ài cǎo)
Aromatic leaves from the Artemisia genus used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine.Leaf · Bitter · Herbal and green
🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage
The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf · Herbal and green
🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreSumac
A tart, crimson spice made from ground berries of the Rhus coriaria shrub.Seed · Sour and tart · Citrus and bright
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreTurmericहल्दी
The dried rhizome of a tropical ginger relative, prized for its golden color and earthy bite.Root · Warm and sweet-spiced · Bitter
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering perennial, one of the world's most traded spices.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreBay Laurelδάφνη
The dried leaf of a Mediterranean evergreen, used to infuse slow-cooked dishes with herbal depth.Sharp and pungent · Bitter
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreGinger
The pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.Root · Hot and fiery · Sharp and pungent
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Saffron: Hubertl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Turmeric: J.M.Garg, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ginger: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Sumac: Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Asafoetida: Toyah, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Poppy seed: Odedr, Public domain, source
- Greater galangal: Raffi Kojian, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ginger: Venkatx5, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bay Laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
- Common sage: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
- Erode Turmeric: Sivaranjani, CC BY-SA 3.0, source