Jagannath temple: 5-member panel formed to review 'roshaghara' issues

Puri: A five-member committee comprising ‘suara’ servitors of the Sri Jagannath temple in the pilgrim city has been constituted by the Justice BP Das commission for reforms in the Srimandir management to suggest on the ways to address issues pertaining to the 'roshaghara' (kitchen) of the world famous 12th century shrine.

The Justice BP Das commission has also asked the five-member committee to review and submit a report on the temple kitchen in a month.

Informing newsmen about the decision, Justice said, “The committee will assess the present condition of the kitchen, availability of sufficient water and its storage hygiene. Apart from this, they can add whatever they think fit for the betterment of the Srimandir kitchen.”

At present, 240 chulis (hearths) are functioning in the Srimandir kitchen located on the south-east side of the temple. The kitchen is said to be the largest kitchen in the world where over 600 cooks and nearly 400 assistants cook the 'bhog' of the Lords, including Mahaprasad. While none other than the cooks and assistants are allowed inside it, the kitchen is believed to have nearly 350 earthen ovens.

On an average more than 20,000 devotees take Mahaprasad in the Temple and this is sold in the Anand Bazaar, a high-rise platform located on the north-west direction of the temple. But of late, the devotees have started questioning about the quality and hygienic condition of the Mahaprasad triggering suggestions to appoint a food inspector for the temple kitchen.