Role Of Food (Prasadam) Served At Religious Places To Attract Tourists/Pilgrims: A Case Study Of Muthappan Temple In Kerala

Abstract

Background: Throughout the Indian history, religion has been an important part of the  country culture. Religious diversity and religious tolerance are both established in the  country by the law and custom. A vast majority of Indians associate themselves with religion. Rituals, worship and other religious activities are prominent in an individual’s daily life.  Religion is also principal organizer of social life. There are many temples in India which  offer uncommon prasadam and the rituals are carried out traditionally by a particular tribe  or community for whom that temple and Lord/God/Goddess are very sacred. One such Lord  is The Sree Muthappan who is a deity commonly worshipped in the North Malabar region of  Kerala and in the Coorg region of Karnataka as well. The Prasadam offered to Lord  Muthappan is very uncommon as compared with other Hindu Temples which do not allow  any alcoholic beverage inside the Temple premises and also taking meat and fish inside the  temple is considered a ‘taboo’. Objective: The objective of this study was to find out the role  of prasadam as a tourist attraction and importance of prasadam over food. Methodology: The data was collected online using Google Forms. Convenience sampling was used and the  sample size was 60. The data has been analyzed and graphs have been made using MS-Excel  2007 and SPSS version 25.0. One sample T-Test has been used to statistically check the  validity of our research. Results: The study highlighted that Muthappan temple is known for  its unique prasadam though the respondents are not that much aware about the prasadam  served at Muthappan temple. Not many respondents are willing to accept toddy and fish as a  religious prasadam. The study showcased that the Muthappan Temple is divergent in its art  and culture, the prasadam served, the habits of the Lord and also the unique history it holds.  The likes and dislikes of the deity are unique too. The findings of this study revealed that food is, overall of great significance to tourists; however, it plays a varying role in domestic  tourists’ experiences at different travel stages. Null hypothesis got rejected and alternative  hypothesis got accepted. Conclusion: The researchers have reached the conclusion that  respondents believe in the highness of such uncommon temples and their Lord but are not  readily accepting the traditional Prasadam of that place. The result of the study also  highlights that food served at religious place play a significant role in attracting pilgrims and  tourists.