Don’t eat Puri Mahaprasad on dining table: SJTA urges devotees

The Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) on Saturday urged the devotees of Lord Jagannath to refrain from consuming Mahaprasad (Prasad offered to the Holy Trinity) on the dining table.

This appeal by SJTA followed after reports emerged of individuals consuming Mahaprasad of Srimandir while sitting at hotel dining tables. The development sparked dissatisfaction among the devotees as they expressed concern over the deviation in the age-old practice of consuming Mahaprasad by sitting on the ground.

Taking to social media account X (earlier known as Twitter), SJTA emphasized that Mahaprasad is not just food, but a divine offering known as ‘Annabrahma’, considered to be a sanctified substance after being offered to Lord Jagannath. The long-standing tradition, which dates back centuries, states that Mahaprasad should be consumed while sitting on the ground, as a sign of respect and humility.

The temple administration urges all the devotees to uphold this time-honored practice and avoid consuming Mahaprasad at dining tables.

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Moreover, SJTA also urged hotels and restaurants to be mindful of this cultural and spiritual tradition and make their customers aware and abide by it.

Earlier last year, amid the raging controversy around adulteration in laddus at Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati temple, the Odisha government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) had decided to implement a regular quality control mechanism of Mahaprasad being served at Puri's famous Jagannath Temple.

The initiative was aimed at ensuring the purity of Mahaprasad, particularly in terms of ingredients like ghee, which are central to the temple's sacred offerings.

"Consuming Mahaprasad on the dining table is not acceptable. Being Odias, how can they deviate from the age-old culture? Though they know about our culture, they have insulted it. Even the Lord Himself has proclaimed that His Mahaprasad is holier and greater than Him. Jagannath culture is gradually getting distorted, and it should be prevented," said Jagannath culture expert Naresh Dash.

"Jagannath culture and Mahaprasad should not be demeaned by consuming it on the dining table. There are certain rules for consuming Mahaprasad, and those rules should not be violated. The Odia people, who were consuming Mahaprasad while sitting at the dining table, should have refrained from the act after being alerted. We strongly condemn the incident," said Sarat Mohanty, a senior servitor.