Temple food's origins

The tradition is rooted in an ancient Indian mythological story in which Lord

Vishnu the preserver -- a god of the holy Hindu trinity -- set out on a long
pilgrimage.
As part of his journey he took a dip in the waters of seaside temple Rameshwaram in
southern India, meditated at Badrinath Temple in the north, visited Dwarka Temple
in the west and dined at the Jagannath Temple on the eastern coast.
The food he ate was cooked by his consort, Hindu goddess Lakshmi, and thus deemed
divine, setting the stage for a ritual that continues to this day in which
offerings known as prasad are made to a temple's presiding deity and distributed to
devotees.
Here's a look at a few of most famous temples dishing out tasty, nutritious food to
the masses.