Religious Gastronomy as a Tourism Attraction: A case study of Hindu Temple Food “Mahaprashada”

Initially regarded as a part of cultural tourism, „Food tourism‟ has been able to create a special niche market for itself in last few decades. In the above regard, the “Eno-gastronomic” resources have played a major role which literally refers to the food products or production process that are limited to a particular region and are highly influenced by the history and tradition of the place (Corigliano, 2002). But as there are hardly any research regarding the scope of „religious gastronomy‟ as a tourism attraction, the present research tries to identify the Eno-gastronomic elements of Hindu Temple Food „Mahaprashada‟, which could be utilised for effective promotion and branding of the destination. An initial exploratory study of the Eno-gastronomic elements was carried out through review of literatures followed by field studies through naturalistic observation (both covert & overt), three focus group discussions & 30 in-depth on site interviews & informal discussions. Later the tourist‟s awareness about Mahaprashada & its various aspects were measured through a structured questionnaire by surveying 418 domestic and international tourists. The results identified numerous Eno-gastronomic elements associated with Mahaprashada & ample scope for the development and promotion of religious gastronomy for reliving its true potential.