Over 115 varieties of Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath displayed in Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: Making it for the first time, over 115 varieties of Mahaprasad offered to Lord Jagannath in Srimandir in Puri were put on display here on Sunday.

In joint association with Niladri Adhyatmika Trust and Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, the Mahaprasads were exhibited during a special programme at Bansuri Guru Auditorium of Institute of Technical Education & Research (ITER)

The Mahaprasads including Ghia Anna, Kanika, Rasabali, Rabidi, Masala Dalema, Mugadai and varieties of sweet desserts like Kadalirasa, Mathapuli, Birinadu, Paga Aarisa, Chhachi Kakera, Suara Pitha, Chuda Bhaja, Betamuan, Chandrakanti and six types of mouth watering Pakhala were displayed attracting the visitors in the city.

Most of the food items among the varieties, which were never made available at Aananda Bazaar of the centuries old Jagannath temple in Puri, were put on display at the auditorium for the first time.

The Mahaprasads displayed here were the prasads offered to Lord Jagannath during six seasons. The servitors used to offer prayer to Lord Ganesha before entering the temple Rosaghara (kitchen). They are banned to enter the kitchen with moustache, beard, consuming betel, tobacco, wearing wrist watch or sindoor (vermilion) of any gods or goddesses, said senior Kotha Bhoga Supakar Biswanath Samantara.

Several servitors are engaged for preparing the varieties of Mahaprasad at the kitchen, he said revealing some interesting facts about cooking process of Mahaprasads.

During the programme, two Odia books ‘Odisha Mandirara Bhoga Parampara’ and Bhaskar Mishra’s ‘Shree Jagannath Gyanakosha’ published by AK Mishra Agency were released.