Meet ‘Munch Murugan’: How a Muslim boy and a chocolate bar redefined a 300-year-old Hindu ritual

Meet ‘Munch Murugan’: How a Muslim boy and a chocolate bar redefined a 300-year-old Hindu ritual (image: Arun Raj Foundation)

The 300-year-old Chemmoth Sree Subramaniya Swami Temple in Alappuzha, Kerala, is now known as "Munch Murugan" due to devotees offering Munch chocolates, a tradition started after a local boy recovered from illness following his chocolate offering.

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Kerala: In an age where faith is often portrayed as rigid and unchanging, a small temple in Kerala quietly tells a different story. Nestled in Alappuzha district, the Chemmoth Sree Subramaniya Swami Templeoffers a powerful reminder that Hindu traditions have always evolved with the people who practise them. Here, a 300-year-old form of Lord Murugan is affectionately known as “Munch Murugan”, after an unusual offering changed temple customs.

Munch Chocolate: A modern offering at an ancient temple

Hindu deities are traditionally associated with specific offerings. Lord Ayyappa is offered ghee, Lord Krishna butter and Lord Ganesha laddus. At the Chemmoth temple, however, Balamurugan, the child form of Lord Murugan and son of Lord Shiva, became linked with chocolates, particularly the popular chocolate bar Munch.

According to the temple’s caretakers, this practice began nearly a decade ago and continues to shape the temple’s identity even today.

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The incident that changed a ritual

Anoop A Chemmoth, whose family has been associated with the temple’s upkeep for generations, recalls how the tradition started. A young Muslim boy living near the temple once rang the temple bell while playing and was scolded by his parents. That night, the child reportedly fell ill and kept chanting Murugan’s name in his sleep.

The next day concerned parents brought the boy to the temple. As the priest suggested offering something to the deity, the parents followed tradition with oil and flowers. The child, however insisted on offering only a Munch chocolate at the sanctum.

Soon after, the boy’s health improved. Word of the incident spread locally and devotees began associating Balamurugan with chocolates, seeing the episode as a sign of divine grace rather than coincidence.

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What began as a single offering soon became a recognised temple custom. Devotees started bringing boxes of chocolates to seek blessings, especially for children and students. Over time, special rituals such as Munch Para, where a large vessel of chocolates is offered and Munch Thulabharam, where chocolates equal to the devotee’s body weight are donated, became part of temple worship.

Today, chocolates are distributed as prasadam during various poojas, replacing more conventional offerings. On temple anniversaries, visitors arrive from different parts of Kerala carrying cartons of chocolates as offerings to the deity.

Temple authorities emphasise that people from all communities visit the shrine. Irrespective of caste, creed or religion, devotees come with faith and offerings, drawn by the temple’s inclusive spirit. The story of Munch Murugan has also made the temple especially popular among children, who often visit during exam seasons seeking blessings.

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Local resident advocate Priyadarshan notes that it is common to see young children entering the temple clutching a chocolate bar, a sight that reflects both innocence and devotion.

The story of Munch Murugan stands as a quiet counterpoint to claims that Hindu rituals are frozen in the past. Rooted in a centuries-old tradition, the Chemmoth temple shows how faith can absorb new expressions without losing its essence.

Nearly 10+ years after a small boy’s simple offering, a 300-year-old Lord Murugan continues to receive chocolates, reminding devotees that devotion is not defined by form, but by sincerity.

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