Suji ki Kahani: Mandir se Mahal tak

Hey, what prasad will be made today?”
A small voice echoed in the temple courtyard.
“Son, today is Hanuman ji’s day. We make suji halwa—it’s his favorite… and beloved by all devotees too.” The ghee began to heat, and with the clink of the spoon, the suji was roasted.
“Listen, each grain must turn golden before the halwa reveals its true color.” From the other side, another voice chimed in.
“And during Navratri too, it’s halwa-puri-chana. It’s the first offering placed at Devi’s feet.” The air was thick with fragrance. Someone said, in the Vaishnav tradition, suji sheera is offered to Krishna as bhog. Sweet and sacred… purely Satvik.

Then, an old tale was stirred: “Did you know? Even when the Mughal royal feasts were laid out, suji reigned supreme. Durum wheat was brought from afar, and from it came Sheermal and Shahi Tukda.
Fit for royalty, yet the grain was still suji.” Everyone nodded in agreement.
“They say, the home that has suji—its pots are never empty.” A child asked, “But why?” The reply came: because it’s the simplest. A little suji, and you get halwa, or upma, or porridge. Hunger fades, the mind finds peace. An old woman added,
And it’s excellent for health too. Gentle for children, easy for elders, a treasure of strength for athletes.
No cholesterol, full of energy. Safe even for diabetics and heart patients.” A priest’s soft chant silenced everyone: look, bhog is just another name for love. Food is merely the medium.
Just as halwa melts in the mouth, devotion melts into the heart of the divine.

Everyone looked together— in a small bowl, the suji halwa glistened.
A king, a beggar, a goddess, a child—all united in one taste. And suji, though just a grain, became the grandest story of all: Temple’s offering, palace’s feast, home’s comfort, and the secret to well-being.