Cow Dung Cake, Kande, Uple

Also known as Cow Dung Cake, Kande, Gobri, Uple, Suka Gober.

Cow Dung Cake names in other languages

• Hindi: गाय के गोबर के उपले, कण्डा, उपला
• Bengali: ভারতীয় বিমানযাত্রীর ব্যাগের মধ্যে ঘুঁটে
• Marathi: गोवऱ्या
• Telugu: ఆవు పేడ కేక్
• Tamil: மாட்டு சாணம் கேக்
• Gujarati: છાણા
• Kannada: ಹಸುವಿನ ಸಗಣಿ ಕೇಕ್
• Odia:
• Malayalam: ചാണക കേക്ക്
• Punjabi:
• Assamese:

Cow dung cake, also known as Kande or Uple, is an ancient practice of utilizing cow dung to light and heat homes in rural parts of India. Cow dung cakes can be used as fuel for stoves and furnaces and as a source of warmth during cold weather. The cakes are made by drying cow dung in the sun until it becomes a hard material that can be moulded into various shapes. Once dried, these cakes are often soaked in clarified butter before being placed on an open flame or in an oven.

The use of cow dung is rooted in Hindu culture, where cows have traditionally been seen as sacred animals representing life and prosperity. Since the early Vedic period, Indians have practised using cow dung for cooking and heating their homes due to its availability and affordability compared with other sources of fuel.