Charnamrit, also widely known as Panchamrita (Sanskrit: पञ्चामृत, literally 'five Amṛtas'), is a sacred mixture of five foods used in Hindu and Jain worship, puja and abhiṣeka rituals. It is commonly prepared as an offering to the deity and subsequently distributed among devotees as prasad.
The five base ingredients of Panchamrita are honey (madhu), sugar (sharkara), cow's milk (dugdha), curd (dadhi) and ghee (ghrita). These five constituents remain consistent across regional variations throughout India, though additional ingredients are sometimes incorporated according to local custom. Common additions include cardamom, banana, tender coconut and dates.
During the abhiṣeka ritual, the ceremonial bathing of the idol traditionally begins with ghee. A conch filled with cow's ghee is poured over the head of the idol, allowing it to flow down to the feet. This is followed in sequence by milk, curd, honey and sugar, completing the offering of the five amṛtas.
Regional preparations differ in character. In Tamil Nadu, Panchamritam (Tamil: பஞ்சாமிர்தம்) is prepared as a mixture of banana, ghee, honey, jaggery and cardamom, often with the addition of seedless dates and sugar candies. In Kerala, tender coconut may also be included, and some recipes incorporate grapes. The Palani Dhandayuthapani Temple, located in Tamil Nadu, is particularly noted for its distinctive Panchamirtham, which is made using Virupatchi hill bananas cultivated in the surrounding Palani hills. This preparation received a Geographical Indication tag from the Government of India in 2019.
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Panchamrita.