Offerings to Sri Hanuman

It is part of the worship to offer flowers, fruits, foods etc to the deity. In the Bhagavad Gita (IX – 26), Sri Krishna says, "I accept a leaf, flower, fruit, or water or whatever is offered with devotion." Sri Kanchi Paramacharya in an interview said, "We first offer to Him all that He has given to us, in the shape of food, clothing, jewels, music, flowers, lights, incense, and son on, with the grateful consciousness that they are His gifts to us; and we receive them back from Him as His prasada." – The Jagadguru

 

A notable feature is that only items of satwic nature (that is, items which are of cohesively positive nature) are offered and some of these items possess healing power. Tulsi and turmeric have excellent antiseptic properties. Sandal paste used for smearing on foreheads has medicinal properties besides the power to cool the body. The water kept in a copper bowl distributed as tirth has the power to stabilise the electromagnetic vibrations in the body. Even the colour and fragrance of flowers used for worship contribute to curing psychosomatic disorders. The chanting of mantras which create a charge in the psychic field augments the worship.

 Vada Maala

This is a delicacy made of urud dal (black gram dal-Vigna Mungo) made into a garland. The story goes that Sri Hanuman who is always in meditation on Sri Rama gets disturbed by the Vada Maala and bestows any boon asked by the devotee so that He would not be disturbed again by the devotee. According to another legend, Anjaneya was given a very big vada by His mother on the eve of His departure to Lanka for the war so that He could eat out of it little by little whenever He felt hungry. Incidentally, Urud dal, the chief ingredient, is offered to appease Rahu, the significator of abnormal fears and snake curse etc. 

Soondal: Cooked Bengal gram (cicer arietinum) added with salt, with or without coconut gratings

Butter: Butter is offered to Anjaneya especially when devotees undergo the adverse period of Saturn.

Curd Rice: Cooked rice added with curd

Beaten Rice: Also called aval, this is offered by adding sugar or jaggery, and coconut gratings.

Kesari: A delicacy made of rava, ghee, sugar, cashew nut, raisin, kesari powder etc.

Pongal: Cooked rice sweetened with jaggery.

Paanakam: A drink made of dry ginger, sugar etc. this should be offered on Swathi or Moola star days. This is a herbal drink.

Fruits and Nuts: Pine apple, Guava, dried grapes and malavaazha pazham, puvan pazham (two categories of plantain native to South India – musa paradisiace), and cashew nut. Cashew nut is rich in proteins and vitamin B and is an ingredient in many Sidha medicines.

Curd Rice: This is a good remedy for stomach ulcer. It is said that those desirous of issues should offer curd rice on five Thursdays or five Tuesdays. Persons with complaints of sugar and blood pressure should offer curd rice without salt and without seasoning it. This is an excellent food for those living in tropical countries, particularly for those with stomach disorders.