Bhandara means "storehouse" in Sanskrit.
A feast for a large group of people, either by invitation only, limited to particular groups of individuals (such as ascetics), or open to the public.
- Sponsoring such a dinner is seen to confer significant religious value, but it is also a prominent chance for both the giver and the guests to elevate their standing.
- Attendees are also divided on issues of status.
- The most distinguished visitors bestow prestige on the donor just by showing there, and as a result, they will be treated differently than the rest of the crowd.
The remainder of the visitors, on the other hand, are seldom given special attention.
- They offer the host prestige by eating the food he (or she) has prepared, but they get nothing in return except the meal, which is typically of low quality due to the huge amounts cooked.
- Ascetics with adequate means would generally avoid such feasts based on these reasons, both for the quality of the food and for the status concerns.
- Eating at a bhandara not only elevates the donor's status, but it also lowers one's own status by making it seem as though one has to do so to live.
The only exception is when one has been invited as an esteemed guest, but even then, it is very uncommon for such visitors to eat little or nothing, thus conferring prestige by their presence but removing none via eating.
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