Boondi Prasad for Puja in Ballabgarh: What to Offer and Share
Boondi prasad is the sweet most families reach for at a puja. Why it is offered, which other sweets work as prasad, and what to order in Ballabgarh, Faridabad.
By Laxman Bikaner · · 3 min read
Puja is tomorrow, the pandit ji has given his list, and somewhere on it is a line that says "prasad". Which sweet, and how much, is usually left to you.
For boondi prasad, the answer is simple: it is the sweet most people reach for first. Here is why, what else works if you want a change, and how to order for a puja at home in Ballabgarh or Faridabad without overthinking it.
What prasad actually is
Prasad is food offered to a deity and then shared among the people who took part. The offering itself is called naivedya; once it has been offered and blessed, what comes back to you is prasad. That is why it is handed out in small portions to everyone present.
Some prasad is tied to a place. Wikipedia lists the Tirupati laddu and the Mathura peda as geographical specialties, so the peda from Mathura is prasad in its own right. Most home pujas have no such rule. You pick something simple and shareable.
Why boondi, and why so often
Boondi is tiny droplets of fried gram flour soaked in sugar syrup. Pressed into a ladoo, it becomes boondi ladoo. Left loose, it becomes the boondi prasad you get in a paper dona.
The popular explanation is that Hanuman ji is fond of boondi ladoo, which is why heaps of it are placed at his feet in temples. Swiggy's food blog says so, and so does Outlook, which adds that it is commonly distributed as prasad in Hanuman temples. Neither names a scripture. It's a belief that families repeat, not a rule, so you don't need to worry that another sweet is wrong.
There are also practical reasons. Boondi is easy to portion, nobody needs a plate or a spoon, and it suits a crowd. That matters at a puja, where the sweet is passed around while people are standing.
Prasad sweets from our menu
- Boondi ka Parshad₹260/ kg
- Sadha Ladoo₹280/ kg
- Besan Ladoo₹500/ kg
- Mathura Peda₹540/ kg
Other sweets that work as prasad
If your family has its own favourite, go with that. Besan ladoo, peda and coconut barfi are the other names that turn up most often in prasad lists. Here is how to choose between them.
| Sweet | Easy to share? | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Boondi | Very, loose or as a ladoo | Hanuman puja, big gatherings |
| Besan ladoo | Easy, one piece each | Any puja where you want something a bit richer |
| Peda | Easy, small and firm | Janmashtami and other Krishna pujas |
| Nariyal barfi | Easy, cut in squares | A change from ladoo |
That table is a guide, not a rulebook. Ask the pandit ji or the elder of the house if you're unsure, because some families and some pujas have their own custom about what goes on the thali.
Ordering for the day
- Count the people, not the plates. Prasad is a spoonful or a piece for each person, so a little goes a long way.
- Keep the offering separate. Set aside what goes on the thali first, and divide the rest after the puja.
- Tell the counter what it's for. If your family follows strict rules about how prasad is prepared, say so when you order. That is a conversation to have with whoever you buy from, not something to assume.
- Order a day ahead if the puja is big. Ask your counter how much notice they like, because it differs from shop to shop.
पहले भोग, फिर प्रसाद, फिर सबका मुँह मीठाYou can see all of these on our sweet shop menu, and our ladoo guide explains the differences between besan, motichoor and boondi. For the peda story, we wrote about petha and Mathura peda.
