Puri Jagannath Temple Mahaprasad to be available at Rs 100!

If all goes well, devotees visiting Puri Srimandir will have the sacred offerings known as the ‘Mahaprasad’ to their heart content only at Rs 100. 

By paying Rs 100, a devotee will have items like ‘Anna’, ‘Dal’, ‘Mahura’, ‘Besara’ and ‘Khata’. 

This decision, currently under review by the Odisha government, was personally announced by the State Law Minister, generating widespread excitement amongst devotees. 

Devotees of Lord Jagannath have voiced relief after receiving assurances from Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, who revealed that plans are underway to provide affordable meals to visitors. A day after his announcement at an event in Bhubaneswar, the Law Minister on Thursday shed more light on the plan.

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“In response to a suggestion from the Gajapati Maharaja, the government is evaluating the establishment of a food distribution centre, to be known as 'Anna Yagna Mandap'. The day is not far away when devotees coming to Srimandir for the darshan of the deities will leave the shrine after at least having a stomach-full ‘Abadha’ (Mahaprasad),” said the Law Minister. 

After hearing from the Law Minister regarding the availability of ‘Mahaprasad’ at Rs 100, devotees expressed their satisfaction. They are happy because the price of ‘Mahaprasad’, as they alleged, has increased twice in as many years and even spending Rs 2000, a family of seven to eight members is not getting enough food and returning disappointed. 

The dry prasad (Sukhila Bhog) like ‘khaja’ have also seen sharp price hikes. Many devotees wish to take these offerings back home but find themselves constrained by the escalating prices. Calls for governmental action to address these price increases have grown louder.

“Earlier, a devotee was getting food items to fill their stomachs up. After the use of the good quality ghee for cooking, the price of ‘Mahaprasad’ has increased twice the earlier price, forcing most devotees to skip buying them,” rued Kailash Panda, a devotee. 

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“It is not good to sell Lord’s prasad at a high price. If the price of ‘Mahaprasad’ decreases, devotees will be happy,” said Prabhat Patnaik, a devotee. 

The proposal by the Law Minister to address this issue has been well-received by the Suar-Mahasuar Nijog, but more in-depth discussions with temple authorities are anticipated to reach a satisfactory resolution.

“As OMFED ghee is used in preparing ‘Mahaprasad’, it is natural for the prices to increase. Yet, we are selling ‘Mahaprasad’ at Rs 100 and charging Rs 150 to Rs 180 for special thali,” said  Narayan Mahasuar, secretary of Suar-Mahasuar Nijog. 

“We welcome what the Law Minister said. But, in this respect, nobody has discussed it with us. But, we are ready to cooperate,” he added.