Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Nagpur-based chef to make 7000 kg halwa days after Ram Lalla consecration

Vishnu Manohar with Nitin Gadkari and others, making misal for one of Manohar's 18 world records on the biggest servings of different dishes. Manohar will make the halwa in Ayodhya after the Ram Mandir inauguration, possibly between January 29 and January 31, 2024.

Faith can move mountains, they say. In the case of Vishnu Manohar, it can translate to making 7000 kilos of halwa for lord Ram and creating a world record. The Nagpur-based chef and founder of Vishnuji Ki Rasoi, a chain of vegetarian restaurants with an outlet each in Nagpur and Latur, two in Pune and four in the United States, will be making the halwa in three hours with help from two of his assistants in Ayodhya. The halwa will then be distributed among VIPs, visitors and locals through volunteers. The date of the preparation of the halwa (which could be January 29-31) is yet to be finalised.

Manohar, self-confessed Ram devotee and former kar sewak, is no stranger to world records. He has already created 18 of them, ranging from the largest paratha to biggest kabab, missal and even khichdi.

Chef Vishnu Manohar

Edited excerpts from an interview:

How did the idea of making Ram Halwa come to you?

I used to be a kar sewak in my 20s and had even visited Ayodhya. I have always been devoted to Ram and Shivaji Maharaj. But that took a backseat with life and its commitments. When Mohan Bhagwat announced on Dashera that the Ram temple will be inaugurated on January 22, I thought of doing something for lord Ram. Traditionally, we make something sweet on such occasions, so I thought of making a Ram Halwa.

What are the ingredients that will be used in making the halwa and in what quantities?

The Ram halwa will be made using 700 kg rawa (semolina), 700 kg ghee, 1120 kg sugar, 1850 ltrs milk, 1850 ltrs mineral water, 21 kg cardamom powder, 21 kg nutmeg powder, 1162 bananas, 50 kg tulsi leaves and 300 kg cashews and raisins. We are trying to procure the ghee from Tirupati Balaji temple in Tirumala. The talks are still on.

Making a halwa of this scale - what kind of trials have you done so far?

No one has ever made a halwa on this scale and I wanted to make sure that it turns out perfect and not mushy or dry. Roasting the rawa to the right doneness is crucial to making a good halwa. So I had to make sure that I get it right. I tried various types of rawa and finally settled on the rawa from MP... After a lot of trial and error, I have finally decided to take pre-roasted rawa to Ayodhya. The other ingredients and the rest of the cooking will be done on site.

When I was satisfied that I could  do the task, I approached the Vishwa Hindu Parishad with my proposal. Once they approved, I sent my idea to the temple trust in Ayodhya. They liked the idea but suggested I avoid January 22 and do it later. There are going to be restrictions on the number of people in Ayodhya that day due to security reasons. What’s the point if we make such a huge amount of halwa with not many people to eat it? So we decided to make to after January 26. The Ram halwa will be made between January 29-31. The final date is yet to be finalised. We also did a recce of the place where the halwa will be made.

How many people will be involved in the halwa-making?

Only me and two of my assistants. Too many cooks spoil the broth.

What about the kadai?

Though we had an old kadhai of 10,000 ltrs, I wanted to use a new one as it’s a momentous and auspicious occasion. We are now making a new kadhai that’s 15 ft in depth and five feet in radius. The lid itself will weigh 300 kg and the whole kadhai will be 1800 kg. The materials used are steel for the sides and a mix of iron and copper for the base to make it heat-resistant.

What are the costs involved in this and who’s bearing it?

The ingredient cost will be borne by the temple trust. The kadhai itself will cost Rs 10-12 lakh, and it will be entirely borne by me. Actually, we live in a joint family and had kept aside some money to buy a car. But we decided to postpone that and instead use the money to build the kadhai. After all you can buy a car anytime but this chance to do something for Ram is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Nagpur-based Mahaveer Steel is making the kadhai. The driver of the truck who will ferry the Kadhai from Nagpur to Ayodhya is a Muslim and is very excited to be a part of this. We will be doing a pooja of the kadhai before it starts it journey from Mahal in Nagpur (this is where the first batch of kar sewaks left for Ayodhya) accompanied by traditional music and dance. Both Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari ji will be present for the pooja. The next stop will be Ramtek, a small village in Nagpur where lord Ram stayed on his way to vanvas. The kadhai will then reach Koradi, a Hindu temple site where we will make a prasad of 5000 kg. The final leg of the journey will be Koradi to Ayodhya.

You will be creating a world record with this Ram Halwa.

Yes. But the intention was never to create a world record. It’s happening by chance. The record will not be in my name but in the name of the Ayodhya Temple Trust.

What’s the kind of feedback you are receiving for your endeavour?

I have been inundated with requests from people all over the world to make a prasad using the same recipe and send it to them. Just yesterday a Ram devotee from London called and requested for 15 kg prasad to be sent to London. People from Australia and America have also called. We will be bringing back around 100 kg roasted rawa from Ayodhya (before adding the milk and sugar) to Pune and Nagpur to make the halwa and distribute it to people.

You hold around 18 world record in food from the largest paratha to khichdi and kabab? What happens to the food once the record is set?

The first condition of creating a food record is that it has to be consumed within a certain time period. I generally connect with a NGO who then distribute it among the poor and needy. By the grace of god, all the food gets consumed within 3-4 hours.

Recipe to make Ram Halwa at home

(serves 4)

Ingredients

Rawa (semolina) 150 gm

Sugar 150 gm

Milk 600 ml (can be a combination of 300 ml of water and milk each)

Ghee 150 gm

Cardamon powder 10 gm

Cashew, raisins 50 gm

Banana one (chopped)

Method

Roast the rawa using ghee in a kadhai, until its fragrant. Consider it done when ghee leaves the sides.

In a separate vessel, boil the milk along with sugar and add it to the rawa while still hot.

Then add the dried nuts and cardamom powder along with the chopped banana.

Lastly place a tulsi leaf on it, and it’s ready to serve.