TV
Amid great fanfare surrounding the opening of the Ratna Bhandar, concerns have been raised over the discontinuance of Prasad being offered to Lord Jagannath on golden plates.
Some servitors expressed doubts if these gold plates are still in the Ratna Bhandar.
As per Srimandir’s history, ‘Khechudi Bhog’ on four golden plates was used to be offered to the ‘Mahaprabhu’. He would have ‘Prasad’ from these plates in ‘Sakala Dhupa’, ‘Madhyahna Dhupa’ and ‘Sandhya Dhupa’.
But, these plates are allegedly no longer used to offer ‘Prasad’ to the Lord.
With the Ratna Bhandar having been opened, servitors, terming it to be the best time, demanded that the tradition of offering Prasad to the Lord on golden plates should be resumed.
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“My father and grandfather had told me that Prasad was offered to ‘Mahaprabhu’ on golden plates. Those plates were used in ‘Sakala Dhupa’, ‘Madhyahna Dhupa’ and ‘Sandhya Dhupa’. With the passage of time, the plates were kept in the Ratna Bhandar. We want ‘Mahaprabhu’ should eat from those golden plates. We request the government to take steps in this regard,” said Ramkrushna Patri, Suar Badu servitor.
“I have heard of ‘Khechudi’ Prasad on golden plates being offered to Maa Bimala and then coming to Mukti Mandap and Ananda Bazar. The administration has kept them in the Ratna Bhandar to save them from being stolen. If servitors demand, Prasad would once again be offered to the deities on those golden plates,” said Laxminarayan Mohapatra, Hadap Nayak servitor.
