Rice & pongal

Tirupponakam

Also called Ponakam; Vellai Tirupponakam.

Historical

A medieval rice-and-green-gram temple preparation closely related to the savory pongal family.

What goes into it

Rice
green gram
ghee
pepper
salt

How it is made

Rice and green gram cooked together and finished with ghee and pepper in inscriptional reconstructions.

Exact temple kitchen formulae — the dittam — are not reproduced here unless the temple has published them. What is described is the culinary family, not a temple’s working recipe.

Where it is offered

This is a culinary family found widely across South Indian temple and household worship rather than one tied to a single temple in this reference. Its region is recorded as Tamil Nadu; Tirumala inscriptional corpus.

History and evidence

It appears in the historical and inscriptional record under the name Tirupponakam; Vellai Tirupponakam.

Earliest documentation: Medieval.

This entry is historical. It is attested in the record but is not presented here as a current temple offering. Where an inscriptional term is a ritual service category rather than a single dish, the inscriptional terms list says so.

Dietary note

Recorded as Yes in the tradition described.

This is informational, never a guarantee. Temple kitchens change formulations, use shared equipment and follow their own Āgamic rules. If an allergy matters to you, ask the temple directly.

Source

Primary reference for this entry · Documented · confidence High
https://www.academia.edu/120514244/Inscriptional_study_on_Pras%C4%81dam_at_the_Tirumala_Tirupati_Tem

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