Overview
Charanamrit, closely associated with the broader concept of Panchamrita (Sanskrit: पञ्चामृत, literally 'five Amṛtas'), refers to a sanctified mixture used in Hindu and Jain worship. It is offered to deities during puja and abhisheka, and subsequently distributed among devotees as prasad. The preparation is regarded within these traditions as a purifying offering imbued with spiritual significance.
The five base ingredients of Panchamrita are honey (madhu), sugar (sharkara), cow's milk (dugdha), curd (dadhi) and ghee (ghrita). During abhisheka, the ritual typically begins with ghee: a conch filled with cow's ghee is poured over the head of the idol and allowed to flow down to the feet. This is followed by pours of milk, curd, honey and sugar in sequence. These five constituents remain consistent in worship traditions across India.
Regional variations introduce additional ingredients while retaining the five-fold base. Common additions include cardamom, banana, tender coconut, dates and grapes. In Tamil Nadu, Panchamritam (Tamil: பஞ்சாமிர்தம்) is prepared as a mixture of banana, ghee, honey, jaggery and cardamom, often supplemented with seedless dates and sugar candies. In Kerala, tender coconut may also be included.
The Palani Dhandayuthapani temple, situated in Tamil Nadu, is particularly noted for its distinctive panchamirtham, which uses Virupatchi hill bananas cultivated on the surrounding Palani hills. This preparation received a Geographical Indication tag from the Government of India in 2019.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Panchamrita.