Sundal is the South Indian prasad of boiled legumes tempered with mustard, urad dal, asafoetida, green chilli, coconut and curry leaf. It is the principal offering at Devi (goddess) temples during the Navratri festival, with a different legume each of the nine days of the celebration. The dish is light, savoury, protein-rich, and pairs naturally with the household lighting of the bommai golu (the doll-display) and the daily visits between households during Navratri. The Skanda Purana and the Devi Mahatmya describe the Devi’s nine-day battle against the demon Mahishasura; the daily sundal preparation tracks the festival’s daily intensification. The same dish is offered in Tamil and Andhra Hanuman and Murugan temples on related observance days.
The nine legumes of Navratri sundal
The traditional Tamil Brahmin convention assigns a different legume to each of the nine days of Navratri. The list varies by family, but the standard nine are:
- Day 1: green moong (mung bean).
- Day 2: kala chana (black chickpea).
- Day 3: kabuli chana (white chickpea).
- Day 4: peanut (groundnut).
- Day 5: green peas (fresh or dried).
- Day 6: field beans (mochai).
- Day 7: black-eyed beans (lobia/karamani).
- Day 8: red kidney bean (rajma).
- Day 9: horse gram (kollu).
The specific assignment varies by family and region. Some communities use moth bean, masoor dal, or other regional legumes. The general principle is one legume per day for nine days, with the household keeping notes year-on-year to avoid repetition.
A standard sundal preparation
For roughly 4-6 servings of any sundal:
- Soak 1 cup of the day’s legume in plenty of water overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours. Larger legumes (rajma, kala chana) need the full overnight; smaller legumes (moong, peanut) need 4-6 hours.
- Drain. Pressure cook with fresh water (3 cups) and a pinch of salt for 3-5 whistles, depending on the legume. The cooked legume should be tender but still hold its shape.
- Drain. Set aside.
- For the tempering: heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee in a pan. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seed, 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1 teaspoon chana dal, a small pinch of asafoetida, 1-2 dried red chillies (broken), and 8-10 curry leaves.
- Once the mustard splutters, add the cooked legume. Toss to coat with the tempering.
- Add 1/4 cup of grated fresh coconut, 1 chopped green chilli, a small pinch of turmeric (optional), and salt to taste.
- Toss on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add a small squeeze of lemon juice (optional, but standard in Tamil practice).
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Offer to the goddess in a clean bowl with a small flower or a tulsi/durva leaf on top. Recite the day’s mantra; the simplest is Om Ayim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vichchhe for the Devi.
The Navratri context
Navratri (Sanskrit “nine nights”) is the principal Devi festival in Hindu practice. The most widely celebrated Navratri is the Sharad Navratri in autumn (September-October), falling in the lunar month of Ashwin. The nine days follow a structured sequence:
- Days 1-3: dedicated to Durga in her warrior forms; sundal offered on each day.
- Days 4-6: dedicated to Lakshmi; sundal continues, with additional sweet offerings.
- Days 7-9: dedicated to Saraswati; sundal continues, with the ninth day featuring the ayudha puja (puja of tools, instruments, books and vehicles).
- Day 10 (Vijayadashami): the conclusion. Sundal is replaced by sweet prasad (laddu, payasam, or coconut preparations); the festival’s victorious-conclusion day.
The household Navratri practice in Tamil and Telugu Brahmin families centres on the bommai golu, a tiered display of dolls and figurines, and on visits between households. Each visiting household is given sundal and a small return-gift of betel leaves and turmeric. The nine days of sundal-making are a real daily practice rather than a symbolic gesture.
For what it’s worth, the Navratri sundal sequence is one of the most actively practised legume-as-prasad traditions in modern Hindu households. Families keep sundal-day notes from year to year, and the visiting-between-households means that each family receives sundal made by many other families during the nine days. The variety of legumes ensures the daily prasad does not repeat.
Variations and regional differences
- Tamil sundal: the classical form. Coconut is essential; mustard-asafoetida tempering; lemon juice finishing.
- Andhra guggillu: similar to Tamil sundal, often with a sharper green chilli profile and sometimes with peanut alongside the main legume.
- Karnataka kalanikalu / usli: the Karnataka version. Coconut and curry leaf are central; sometimes a touch of tamarind for tang.
- Kerala variants: peanut and coconut combinations are popular; the tempering uses coconut oil.
- North Indian equivalents: the chana sundal pattern is used in some Hindi-belt households during Navratri, alongside the more regional kheer-and-puri Navratri offerings.
Common questions
Can sundal be made with canned legumes?
For an everyday quick preparation, yes. For a Navratri offering, the traditional convention prefers freshly soaked and pressure-cooked legumes. The texture and flavour of freshly cooked legumes is noticeably better than canned. For a formal offering or a major household celebration, the from-scratch preparation is the standard.
Why coconut specifically?
Coconut is the standard South Indian temple offering and pairs naturally with the legume base. It adds sweetness, texture and ritual auspiciousness (coconut being the “purest” fruit in Hindu prasad classification). Without coconut, the sundal is technically incomplete in the Tamil tradition. Substitutes (cashew, almond, sesame) are not the standard form.
How long does sundal keep?
Fresh-cooked sundal keeps about 24 hours at ambient temperature, refrigerated 2-3 days. The tempering oil contributes a small amount of preservative effect but the legume base is moist and high-water. Best eaten the day it is prepared. Reheat gently if refrigerated; expect the coconut to lose some freshness on the second day.
Is sundal a Hanuman prasad too?
Yes. The kala chana sundal pattern is offered at Hanuman temples on Tuesday and Saturday. It overlaps with the goddess-Navratri usage. Murugan temples also offer sundal, particularly during the Skanda Sashti and Thai Pusam festivals. The dish is not exclusive to Devi but the Navratri association is the most prominent.
A limitation worth noting
The Navratri sundal day-by-day legume assignment is a Tamil Brahmin household convention; other communities have different conventions. Karnataka and Andhra communities have their own daily sundal assignments. Bengali and Punjabi Navratri practice is quite different (Bengali Durga puja focuses on rice-and-fish offerings rather than sundal; Punjabi Navratri centres on dry foods and fasting). The article describes one mainstream regional convention; the precise day-by-day pattern in any specific family is the family’s own.
See the Wikipedia entry on sundal and the entry on Navratri.
