Indian rice and rice products

Rice is associated to prosperity and has important religious significance for Indians. The Hindu ceremony of Durga puja is followed by a celebration dedicated to rice and its patron goddess, Lakshmi, patron of wealth. There are over 600 rice variations but the most prevalent type is called Basmati rice. The importance of rice is high on an economical level as well, with over 50 million households earning their income from rice products and cultivation.