indian spices

List of Indian spices
Below is a list of spices and other flavoring substances commonly used in India

Indian Common Name English Name Hindi Name Other Languages Remarks
Adrak Ginger अदरक అల్లం, ਅਦਰਕ, இஞ்சி, আদা ada, അന്ദ്രകം, पाएँ, ಶುಂಠಿ Used as fresh and also Dried Powder form, see "Sonth"
Aamchur/Amchoor powder Sour Mango powder आमचूर ఆమ్చూర్,మామిడికాయ పొడి
Achar Indian Pickle अचार ಉಪ್ಪಿನಕಾಯಿ,ఊరగాయ, আচার, ஊறுகாய்
Ajmud Celery / Radhuni seed अज्मुद వాము, അയമോദകം, அசம்டவோமன், ಅಜಮೊಧವೋಮ, अज्मोदा, রাধুনী radhuni
Ajmoda Parsley अजमोदा
Ajwain Carom seed अज़वाइन వాము, ஓமம், জবান, યવાનો, जवानो, ਐਜਵਾਇਨ, അയമോദകം
Amla Indian gooseberry आँवला ನೆಲ್ಲಿಕಾಯಿ,ఉసిరి కాయ / పప్పు, நெல்லிக்காய்
Anardana Pomegranate seed अनारदाना దానిమ్మ గింజలు Dried not fresh
Bazil spice powder बाजील
Badam Almond बादाम బాదాం, বাদাম, பாதாம்
Choti Elaichi Green cardamom छोटी इलाइची ఏలకులు, এলাচি elachi, ஏலக்காய்
Badi Elaichi Black cardamom बड़ी इलाइची
Chakra Phool Star anise चक्र फूल बदल फुल, అనసపువ్వు
Chironji Charoli चिरोंजी సార పప్పు a type of nut particularly used in making desserts
Camiki Mango extract कामिकी
Dalchini Cinnamon दालचीनी ಚಕ್ಕೆ,దాల్చిన చెక్క, দারচিনি darchini
Dhania Coriander seed धनिया ಧನಿಯಾ (ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಬೀಜ),ధనియాలు, ধনে dhone , மல்லி
Garam Masala Spice mixture गरम मसाला ಗರಂ ಮಸಾಲ,గరం మసాలా, গরম মশলা gôrom môshla
Gulab Jal Rose water गुलाब जल పన్నీరు, গোলাপ জল golap jôl
Gur Unrefined Sugar (Jaggery) गुड़ ಬೆಲ್ಲ,బెల్లము, গুড় guṛ, வெல்லம் / கருப்பட்டி from the sap of the sugarcane or date palm
Haldi Turmeric हल्दी ಅರಿಶಿನ,పసుపు, হলুদ/হলদে holud/holde,மஞ்சள் (பொடி)
Hari dhaniya Coriandergreen हरी धनिया ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು,కొత్తిమీర , கொத்தமல்லி (இலை) Fresh green leaves
Harad / hime myrobalan chabulic हरद కరక చెట్టు, கடுக்காய்
Hari Mirch Green Chili हरी मिर्च ಹಸಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ,పచ్చి మిరపకాయలు, কাঁচা মরিচ kãcha morich
Dhania powder/ Pisa Dhania Coriander powder धनिया पावडर/पिसा धनिया ధనియాల పొడి, ধনে গুঁড়া
Hing Asafoetida हींग ఇంగువ, হিং, பெருங்காயம்
Imli Tamarind इमली చింతపండు, তেঁতুল tetul, புளி
Jaiphal Nutmeg जैफल జాజికాయ,ஜாதிக்காய், জয়ফল
Javitri Mace जावित्री జాపత్రి Mace Spice is derived from Nutmeg tree
Jeera Cumin seed ज़ीरा జీలకర్ర, জিরা,சீரகம்
Jeera Goli Cumin seed grounded into balls ज़ीरा गोली 'జీలకర్ర వుండ'
Jethimadh Licorice powder जेठीमध యష్టిమధుక్కం
Kachra Capers कचरा, कब्र, करेर మరాఠీ మొగ్గు, ముముదాటు, கரியல், ಮರಾಠಿ ಮೊಗ್ಗು , ਕਰਿਆ also known as Kabra, Karer in Hindi
Kadipatta Curry Tree or Sweet Neem leaf करीपत्ता / कदिपत्ता కరివేప ఆకు, கறிவேப்பிலை
Kaju Cashewnut काजू జీడి పప్పు, কাজুবাদাম,முந்திரி
Kala Namak / Sanchal Black salt काला नमक / संचल నల్ల ఉప్పు, বিট লবণ Rock salt
Kali Elaichi Black Cardamom काली इलाइची నల్ల ఏలకులు
Kali Mirchi Black pepper काली मिर्च నల్ల మిరియాలు, গোল মরিচ gol morich,மிளகு
Kalonji Nigella seed कालोंजी నల్ల జీలకర్ర, কালো জিরা kalo jira
Kasoori Methi Dried Fenugreek leaf कसूरी मेथी మెంతి ఆకులు, வெந்தய கீரை menthi aakulu,
Katira Goond Tragacanth Gum कटीरा गूंद
Kebab Cheeni Allspice कॅबाब चीनी কাবাব চিনি kabab chini
Kesar, Zaafraan Saffron केसर, जाफरान కుంకుమ పువ్వు, জাফরান jafran
Kesar miri miri Saffron pulp केसर मिरी मिरी కుంకుమ పూల పొడి
Khajur Dates खज़ूर, খেজুর ఖర్జూరం
Kokum Garcinia indica कोकम
Khus Khus Poppy seed खस खस గసగసాలు,ಗಸಗಸೆ , পোস্ত দানা posto dana, கச கசா
Kudampuli Garcinia gummi-gutta कोकम കുടംപുളി, கொறுக்காய்ப்புளி Used in fish preparations of Kerala
Lahsun Garlic लहसुन vellulli paaya, রসুন roshun,பூண்டு
Lal Mirchi Red Chilli लाल मिर्ची మిరప కాయలు, লাল মরিচ lal morich,மிளகாய் வத்தல்
Lavang Cloves लवाँग lavangam, లవంగం, লং/লবঙ্গ lông/lôbonggo, கிராம்பு
Kali Mirch Peppercorns काली मिर्च miriyalu, மிளகு, మిరియాలు
Methi leaves Fenugreek leaf मेथी पत्ता మెంతి ఆకులు, মেথি পাতা methi pata,வெந்தய கீரை
Methi seeds Fenugreek seed मेथी सीड्स మెంతులు, মেথি methi,வெந்தயம்
Naaga Keshar नागा केशर
Namak Salt नमक ఉప్పు, লবণ/নুন lôbon/nun,உப்பு
Nimbu Lemon / Lime नींबू 'నిమ్మ కాయ', লেবু lebu,எலுமிச்சை
Pudina Mint पुदीना পুদিনা,புதினா
Pyaz / Ganda Onion प्याज़ / गांडा ఉల్లి పాయ, পেঁয়াজ peaj,பல்லாரி வெங்காயம்
Panch Phoron पञ्च फोरों পাঁচ ফোড়ন pãch foṛon This is a Bengali spice mix that combines aniseed, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and nigella
Pathar Ka Phool Black Stone Flower पत्थर के फूल కల్లుపచి, दगड फुल
Pippali Long pepper पिप्पलि ಹಿಪ್ಪಲಿ, கண்டந்திப்பிலி, అనాసపువ్వు
Peeli Mirchi Yellow Pepper पीली मिर्ची
Rai Black Mustard Seed राइ ఆవాలు, கடுகு, রাই
Ratin jot Alkanet root रातीं जोट
Safed Mirchi White Pepper सफ़ेद मिर्च తెల్ల మిరియాలు
Saji na phool Citric acid सजी न फूल
Sarson mustard seed सरसो, ఆవాలు, సరసావాలు, শরষে shorshe
Sarson Tel Mustard oil सरसो तेल ఆవ నూనె, শরষের তেল shorsher tel
Saunf/Sanchal Fennel seed सौंफ / संचल సోంపు, সঁওফ/মৌরি sôof/mouri,பெறுஞ்சீரகம்
Shahi Jeera Black cumin seed शाही जीरा నల్ల జీలకర్ర smaller in size than regular
Sirka Vinegar सिरका সির্কা
Soa sag Dill सोया साग శతపుష్పము, వకతరహా తోటకూర , சதகுப்பி, குப்பை, ചതകുപ്പ,ಸಬ್ಬಸಿಗಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು, ಸಬ್ಬಸಿಗೆ ಬೀಜ
Sonth Dried ginger सोंठ సొంఠి, சுக்கு mostly powdered
Suwa or Shopa Aniseed सुव्वा / शोप సోంపు
Taj Cinnamon ताज దాల్చిన చెక్క ,பட்டை
Tartri Citric acid तरतरी
Tej Patta Malabathrum, Bay Leaf तेज पत्ता బిర్యానీ ఆకు, তেজ পাতা tej pata Both Malabathrum and Bay Leaf are similar and called as Tej Patta in Hindi. however, they are from two different families with difference in taste
Til Sesame seed तिल నువ్వులు, তিল,எள்ளு
Shimla Mirch Capsicum शिमला मिर्च
Tulsi Holy Basil तुल्सी తులసి, తులసి ఆకు, তুলসী,துளசி

54, years, just trying to understand , that un-understandable.


I wish to be in touch with the devotees of sri radharani and sri ramjee.


my life's aim and passion is to become instrumental in the service of radharani, by making a goshala (cow-dairy in vrindavan). thereby helping the brijwasees, and thereby helping my self.
I know, that i am not the doer. but if i have to do an acting of a doer, then why not do it.
and a few other projets to promote the words of Krishna in form of geta jee, bhagwatam, mahabharat, ramayana, and all upnishads and purans.


how is my idea ? if you have time or inclination, then send me a comment on this or directly on my e mail = ashok.gupta4@gmail.com.


I have no privacy from the devotees, i am in delhi, india. about 110 kilometer from vrindavan. any devotee coming to vrindavan, delhi is welcome at my home.


You might be knowing that, krishna spent a lot of time in delhi, with pandavs or say arjun. so delhi in actual sense is also a big teertha.


how you like it. ?


ashok dasanu das

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Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 9:52 PM
Subject: PLEASE SAVE HINDUISM IN NEPAL.

Dear Fellow Hindu Brothers and Sisters:

Nameste and my deepest and most humble greetings.

I write this letter to all of you with the hopes that you will help protect and save Hinduism in Nepal as you are all related to organizations concerned with Hinduism. I got all of your e-mails through searching the internet for Hindu organizations. I hope that you will spare some time to read this mail. And please do forward this mail onto other people who you think can help.

As you may all well know, Nepal was the only Hindu country in the whole wide world until a few years ago until when it was undemocratically changed from that status to one of a secular nation. But I am not writing about that. That is a political matter. What I am writing about is the ways the politicians in Nepal have run all over our Hindu religious traditions. Please see the attached photos with this mail. These scanned photos are from the government run daily newspaper named Gorkhapatra, which is also the national daily of Nepal, from the date of Phagun 11, 2065 (February 22, 2009).

I do realize that it is all in Devanagari Nepalese, but that is the official language of Nepal, and I have hopes that Lord Pasupatinath will provide someone to translate the relevant text to you. Anyway, I will give you the gist of what is on the two scanned photos in the paragraph below.

The first photo (named “1 The Photo In Question”) shows part of the first page of Gorkhapatra which has the president of Nepal offering prayers for Lord Pasupatinath on the occasion of Shivaratri. The second photo is named “2 The Article In Question” and is from the third page of Gorkhapatra. The related article is the one on the top left side. The prayer in question is the prayer offered for the initial rites for Shivaratri, and this occurred on Phagun 10, 2065 (February 21, 2009). As written on the third page and shown on the second photo named “2 The Article In Question,” this is the initial prayer of Shivaratri for Lord Pasupatinath, and this prayer officially starts Shivaratri in all the places of worship for Lord Shiva in Nepal. There is also a sentence mentioning that the president was dressed in religious attire. This was the first time that this rite was performed by anyone other than a King of Nepal since Nepal was founded. As I am sure you are all aware, this year Shivaratri fell on Phagun 12, 2065 (February 23, 2009).

And on the photo named “1 The Photo In Question” and which appeared on the front pages of the national daily, on the left hand of the president, you will see that he is wearing a watch with a LEATHER WRISTBAND. And only a FOOL would ever believe that the president of any country would wear a watch with imitation leather wristbands.

I am sorry if the resolution of the photos are not clear in this mail. That is why I have also zipped the two photos and also attached them with this mail in a file named “Save Hinduism In Nepal.”

I am sure you are all aware that there is great diversity of beliefs prevalent in Hinduism. Some Hindus will be strict vegetarians while others are not. There is also a great deal of diversity in the way Hindu people observe the same festivals, and this can be seen not just in different parts of the world but also in the same neighbourhood. For example, some Hindus will observe the festival of Dasain, which is also known as Dasara and Navaratri and also by many different names in different parts of the world, by following strict vegetarian rules and also by not even eating onions or garlic even though normally they may be non-vegetarians, and there are also some Hindus who perform animal scarifies on the very same festival. Such is the diversity of our religion. So one say there are not very many strictly followed rules in our religion. We can all go our own way. But there are still some universal don’ts. Nowhere in our religion is it permissible to wear or bear any item of leather when partaking in an important prayer of Lord Shiva. THIS IS A GRAVE AND SACRILEGIOUS ACT. This is not the same thing as when one shrine or temple falls in your way when you are going elsewhere and you offer your prayers without even bothering to take off any items of leather on you. And in any case, one does not go inside the temple or shrine in such a case after all. The prayer in question is a significant part of the official ceremony for worshiping Lord Pasupatinath, the holiest shrine in the entire world for Lord Shiva on the occasion of Shivaratri, the most important festival for Lord Shiva. THIS IS A GRAVE AND SACRILEGIOUS ACT. And the president was praying on the behalf of all of Nepalese. This is a great burden of sin that he has placed on the shoulders of all of us Nepalese.

There are many among of us who were wondering in the first place if any prayers offered by one of the same politicians who removed Hinduism as the official religion of our country in their lust for power would even be acceptable to Lord Pasupatinath, but this photo removes all doubt. Even children know of this simple rule. But the president did not even bother to observe this most minimum rule of our religion. How arrogant and conceited is he and the other politicians?

I do not really know if it is true for this situation, but it is normally the case for such important rites that people observe a fast beforehand. Unfortunately, that photo cannot show what is inside of his stomach, and quite frankly I do not have any confidence that he maintained that much self-discipline. Not just because of what was on the photo, but also because, after all, he was a member of a political party, the Nepali Congress which is also the biggest opposition party in Nepal right now, before he became the president, the very same party that went against its own party constitution that was for a Hindu Nepal and which suddenly became secularist in an attempt to appease the then rebels, the Maoist Party, in the Congress party’s futile attempt to regain power. They were the biggest party before the elections so they had their reasons to hope for a chance to regain power. So you see, I have no confidence that such people will maintain the sanctity and dignity of our religion.

And I am sure you are aware, the Maoist Party led government of Nepal tried to change the centuries old tradition of having the main priest from South India for The Pasupatinath Temple. Because of this, this most holiest of temples in our Hindu religion was closed for several days.

In Nepal, it is also customary for the head of the nation, now the president, to receive blessing from the Kumari of the capital city Kathmandu on Indrajatra, an important festival of Nepal. As I sure all of you know, the Kumari is a Living Goddess. But again, the same nagging doubt still remains. Are such politicians even worthy of such an honour? To give such a high religious honour to the same people who sold out our religion in their lust for political power?

What I want to ask is, why is it that the politicians only attack Hindu sensibilities? And why is it only the Hindu festivals that they officially defile with their presence? Why does the president not observe the holy month of Ramadan with our fellow Nepalese brothers and sisters of the Muslim faith? Is it too hard for him? Or is he not so secular? And why does he not celebrate Christmas with our fellow Nepalese brothers and sisters of the Christian faith? And that to at their most important church in Nepal? Sadly, and with no disrespect meant to any Christian in any part of the world, Christians have a history of never agreeing on so many things so I do not think that all the Christians of Nepal agreeing on which is the most important church will ever happen. But due to our country’s culture, history and heritage, we Hindus in Nepal have had no such problems till now. Our country’s culture has always been rooted in Hindu tradition and so we have no confusions on which temples the head of state must go to on which occasions.

And do they even know with how high a honour they are being graced with? Do they even care? Looking at the photo, I do not think so. To them, it is just another opportunity to get their photos printed on the papers, nothing else. To them, it is just another opportunity for publicity, just another photo op sadly.

As a point of principle, such people should never even be allowed in Hindu temples or any other places of worship for other religions for that matter. If they could not be true or respectful to their own religions, only fools would even hope that they would be respectful to other religions. If Christians hand done the same thing, they would have been excommunicated. If they had been Muslims, something may be even worse. But you know, in our country, they have not just been defiling our traditional sacred Hindu rites with their presence, there have also been times when some temples have been inaugurated by ministers, people who voted to remove Hinduism as the official religion of our country. How stupid is that? Is there a provision for excommunication in our religion? No priests should go to such people’s homes to perform any religious Hindu ceremonies required in their household let alone let them even near any temples.

The very politicians who removed the only Hindu Nation in the whole wide world are perpetrating all of these changes in our Hindu traditions. And after all, it is our traditional rites that define our culture. It would not be so bad if a high-ranking Hindu official, such as a Sankaracarya, had approved all of these changes but sadly these changes were not.

Our religion is the third largest religion in the whole world, the oldest one religion in the whole world, and there are Hindus in all parts of the world. Hindu people have been overcoming prejudices against our religion in all parts of the world, but for our religion to be so disrespected in a country that was just recently the only Hindu Nation in the world, and that to by a member of the Hindu community?

I think I do not need to tell you that a place of worship, of whichever religion, belongs to the whole world. And the disrespecting of one place of worship touches us all. And this is not just any temple; this is in regards to the most important temple of Lord Shiva and that to on the occasion of Shivaratri. Please, such a sacrilegious act will affect Hindus all over the world. Please do something.

Is our religion to be so debased just to be a photo op for politicians who do not even respect our religion? Is our religion just a plaything for them? As I mentioned before, the politicians only target our Hindu religion. Can no one do anything to stop them?

I hope that you will excuse me for wanting to remain anonymous, but right now Nepal is going through a very dangerous period, and I think that it be best not to be make so many powerful enemies. People are still disappearing for speaking against the government (please see http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar17/news01.php). And here I am speaking against not just against the government but also the very powerful opposition, and so…

I talked to priests, journalists, members of Hindu organizations, but sadly they are too afraid to do anything.

Please, do something.

If you have any questions, please do mail me, but please bear in mind that we in Nepal are facing an acute shortage or electricity. Ever since when our government caused Pasupatinath Temple to be closed for some days and be kept in the dark, we in Kathmandu Valley have been having only about some hours of electricity per day. And ever since Shivaratri, that has also decreased so that we are only receiving eight hours of electricity per day in two shifts of four hours in the a.m. and then also four hours in the p.m. And by that I mean just that, but the fours hours may start at 4 a.m. in the morning and end at 8 a.m. on some days and also 12 a.m. till 4 a.m. So we have to try to work, cook, do a lot of things etc. on these two slots of four hour. Some people are already saying that these are all signs of Lord Pasupatinath’s displeasure. Due to this, finding time for e-mailing is not that easy. But I will try answer as quickly as possible. This is also the reason I could not send the mail earlier; it took so much time to look for all of these e-mail address.

And lastly, I would like to express that we Hindus in Nepal were betrayed by people of the Hindu religion and not by any other religion. I bear no ill will towards other religions. Quite frankly, due to our liberal Hindu traditions, we in Nepal have had very few problems of a religious nature.

And Dear Fellow Hindu Brothers and Sisters, I will end this mail. Please do try to help. And please do forward this mail to anyone who you think can be of help.

Nameste and my deepest and most humble farewell.


A Very Troubled Fellow Hindu From Nepal.


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1 The Photo In Question.jpg

2 The Article In Question.jpg

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