Firewood shortage threatens Mahaprasad preparations at Puri Jagannath Temple

The sacred kitchen (Rosaghara) of Jagannath Temple in Puri is facing a crisis these days. A critical shortage of firewood is threatening the daily preparation of Mahaprasad, the holy offerings cooked in the temple kitchen, sources said on Friday.

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The Suara Mahasuara Nijog (association of traditional temple cooks) has raised the critical issue formally, submitting a memorandum to Gajapati Maharaja of Puri, Dibyasingha Deb, and expressing serious concern over the ongoing situation.

According to the Nijog, the Odisha government supplies firewood for the temple, but nearly 75 percent of it is being diverted to Swargadwar for cremation purposes.

With Holy Kartik month approaching—a spiritually significant period that draws thousands of Habishyalis (devotees who perform religious rituals)—the demand for firewood will rise sharply. Without adequate firewood, preparing the large-scale daily offerings could become nearly impossible.

Additionally, the temple administration has recently restricted Supakara servitors from using any leftover bhog for sale purposes, citing new guidelines. As a result, the traditional cooks are allegedly facing severe financial losses.

The Nijog has demanded compensation for the losses and has warned that if firewood is not supplied in sufficient quantity soon, they may be forced to halt Mahaprasad preparation during the Kartik month, a move that could impact thousands of devotees.

Despite the seriousness of the issue, the temple administration is yet to issue a public response.