Did you know that Mishri, Kallu Sakkare in Kannada or Kallkand in Tamil, is crystalized sugar, a confectionary in India since ancient times when Lord Krishna used to be treated by his mother Yashoda with Mishri mixed with white butter?
Mishri in Hindi, Kallusakkare ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ in Kannada, Kalkandu in Tamil, with raw sugar as its base. in a crystalized form, though not strictly a sugar candy, is known since ancient times in India (and also in Persia). It is prepared from khand (pressed sugarcane juice) boiled with water and evaporated. When prepared in a porous mud pot it is called Kus Mishri. It is marketed in two forms, white and red Mishri, though more expensive than the double refined white sugar.
The process of turning raw sugar cane juice into mishri imparts many beneficial properties to it like making it alkaline, cooling in nature, light and easier to digest. It is generally mistaken as rock candy, candy sugar confections made in various colours and flavours, crystallizing them with refined sugar as its base ingredient. However, Mishri is different, as it has raw sugar as its base. and is not refined, but crystalized in lumps, and has many health benefits and is not as harmful, unlike refined sugar, when consumed in moderation. Indian Ayurveda uses these health-promoting properties of mishri therapeutically.
There are many legends linking Lord Krishna with Mishri or Kallu sakkare. It is well known that Lord Krishna as a child was very fond of makhan/white butter and Mishri. His mother Yashoda would feed him makhan misri/sweetened white butter. This is why an offering of makhan mishri is an essential offering during the festival of Janmashtami, birthday of Krishna.
Another legend relates to the time King Kamsa of Mathura had invited his nephew Krishna to visit Mathura, and sent his trusted Akrura to fetch him and his brother Balarama . On the day they were leaving Gokul to go to Mathura, Yashoda brought fresh butter mixed with mishri to offer to her beloved sons, Krishna and Balarama. She was so grief stricken thinking that there departure would be fatal to them as she felt that Kamsa would kill them both. Yashoda appealed to Akrura not to take them to Mathura as she feared for their life at the hands of Kamsa.
Mishri is an offering to a deity as bhog (Naivedyam) and distributed as prasad, as Lord Krishna is said to be fond of makkhan (butter) and mishri. In many devotional songs written in Brajbhoomi in praise of Krishna, the words makkhan and misri are often used in combination. In Kannada language, in Bhakthi (devotional) literature divine songs (Dasara Padas of Purandara dasa) are sung in praise of the Lord with Kallusakkare as the theme, such as the following composition.
ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಕೊಳ್ಳಿರೋ ನೀವೆಲ್ಲರು
ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಕೊಳ್ಳಿರೋ||pa||
ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಸವಿ ಬಲ್ಲವರೆ ಬಲ್ಲರು
ಪುಲ್ಲಲೋಚನ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನಾಮವೆಂಬ||a.pa||
Kallusakkare kolliro nivellaru
Kallusakkare kolliro||pa||
Kallusakkare savi ballavare ballaru
Pullalocana srikrushnanamavemba||a.pa||
Purport: Use Kallusakkare (Mishri) as its sweetness denotes the blessings of Lord Krishna.
It is offered as part of "Chhappan Bhog" to Krishna in reverential gratitude for saving people of Mathura/Brindavan from the fury of an intense rain storm unleashed by Lord Indra. When Indra unleashed fearsome storms on the villagers of Mathura/Brindavan and flooded their homes, Krishna lifted mount Govardhan like an umbrella to protect them from storm rains. After the floods receded the villagers showed their gratitude to Krishna by offering him a gigantic meal of 56 items called Chappan bhog which consisted of especially of butter with mishri, dry fruits, nuts, fruits, sweets, rice and salty snacks. This practice is continued even today in the annual festival of worshipping Govardhan Hill near Mathura.
Mishri, which originated in India and Persia, was first produced by cooling supersaturated solutions of sugar cane juice called Khand onto strings, sticks, twigs etc to form large crystallised sugar lumps. Its large crystals are pure and attractive and in olden days it was used to sweeten milk, sweets, beverages and more. The crystallisation process of mishri is much slower, as compared to the much faster crystallisation of refined sugar, and gives its crystals a more ordered structure; there is no question of chemicals having being used in its preparation. Also, it contains some minerals which are compatible with milk thus providing a more satisfying taste. Even today some people prefer mishri over refined sugar as it is much healthier, though a bit more expensive.
Mishri as prepared from khand (pressed raw cane juice) is boiled with water and evaporated. In this popular process using porous mud pots, called Kuza mishri, it is prepared as mishri only with the best type of khand (sugar sysrup). It is prepared using porous earthen pots (kuza) placed in water. For preparing it, the best quality of khand is dissolved in boiling water till it matches with consistency of thick syrup. This is placed in a small 'Kusa' porous earthen pot in which cotton thread is suspended. The vessel is kept in cellars so that they are not exposed to air & light, and left undisturbed for 8 days for the mishri to crystallize over these suspended threads/strings. When the sugar has crystallized, the vessel is inverted to drain off the excess mother liquor. Then the mud vessel is broken to secure the crystalized sugar in a lump form. The crystallized mishri lumps are then sun-dried. The purest form of mishri to be purchased is called "dhage wali mishri or the mishri with thread". It is less sweet compared to sugar and tastes somewhat different too when consuming any beverage prepared with it.
Mishri is described as mildly Alkaline by some Vaidyas (Ayurvedic practitioners) and reported to have a calming effect on the Vata (the elements of ether and air) and Pitta (fire and water) doshas (defects) in the human body. Hence, in Ayurveda for centuries, many herbal formulations incorporate mishri into their syrup & churnas (powders). Its usage is also advised in place of refined sugar.
Many of Mishri's uses and purported health benefits, apart from its use as confectionary and in worship, as propagated by Ayurveda could be listed as: 1) Mishri added to water makes a very refreshing drink which relieves stress and tension, and refreshes the brain; 2) relives sinus headache when taken as a concoction of mishri, tulsi leaves, peppercorns and ginger; 3) a mixture of mishri, butter and cardamom provides relief from tonsillitis; 4) widely used in India as mouth freshener along with sounf/fennel seeds as it controls bacterial growth; 5) a churna (powder) made with mishri and lotus flowers with milk relieves nose bleed; 6) a mixture of mishri and moti elaichi in mustard oil could reduce hardness of hearing; 7) a paste of mishri and cardamom powder gives relief in mouth ulcers; 8) adding mishri to a drink made with saffron and milk taken at night is a stimulant; 9) relives Vata and pitta doshas ( predominant in human constitution) and provides strength and vitality; 10) taking mixture of honey, pure cow's ghee and mishri in odd quantity 2-3 times a day regularly helps to recover and relieves from Tuberculosis condition.
Many popular movies in Kannada are titled "Kallu Sakkare (Kannada: ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ)".
- Narasipur Char
