I recall enjoying the feast at some of my neighbours’ homes when I was a kid. Back then, my food appreciation was limited to meal hopping at my friends’ houses and exploring the street food of Lucknow. It was only much later that I started exploring the concepts beyond. And that’s what led me to explore the story behind the Chappan Bhog. Legend has it that Krishna held up the Govardhan mountain for a week to protect villagers and livestock from a torrential thunderstorm caused by the wrath of Lord Indra. As per the legend, Krishna held up the mountain for seven days straight, skipping his usual eight meals a day. Once the rains abated, the villagers offered their thanks by preparing the Annakuta or mountain of food. This was a combination of the eight meals of the day multiplied times seven and hence, fifty-six. In the book The Eternal Food: Gastronomic ideas and Experiences of Hindus and Buddhists, author Paul M Toomey talks about food “both as the main commodity of the pilgrimage culture and as a communicator of social and religious messages”. I couldn’t agree more with the philosophy. The typical offerings included in the Chappan Bhog comprise a variety of cereals, fruits and dry fruits, vegetable preparations, sweets, beverages, savouries and chutneys and pickles. However, the actual dishes of the Chapan Bhog vary across regions based on their culinary practices, spiritual connotations and ingredients available. Apart from the customary favourites of butter, yogurt, ghee and rice, there are others that range from sweet: mohan bhog (a semolina halwa), shakkarpara, ghewar, rabri and shrikhand to savoury: khichdi, puri, saag (cooked greens), as well as nuts, papad and chutneys. Of these, the dairy and sweet preparations are placed closest to the deity as they are believed to be dearer to Lord Krishna’s palate.