Bhubaneswar: Amid rising concerns over reports of online delivery of sacred offerings from the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday strongly opposed the idea of selling ‘Mahaprasad’ online, emphasising the need to preserve its sanctity.
Addressing the media, Harichandan stated that the spiritual and cultural significance of ‘Mahaprasad’ is deeply rooted in Hindu tradition and any attempt to commercialise it through digital platforms could compromise its sacredness.
“A few organisations had approached the temple administration with a proposal to sell ‘Mahaprasad’ and ‘bhog’ online so that it could reach devotees, including those living abroad. However, the temple administration, in consultation with the state government, declined the proposal due to concerns regarding the sanctity of the offerings,” the Minister said.
“We have doubts about whether the sanctity of ‘Mahaprasad’ can be maintained if it is transported and delivered in this manner,” he added.
Urging devotees to maintain religious traditions, Harichandan appealed to people to visit Puri and personally receive ‘Mahaprasad’ from the Jagannath Temple. He clarified that there are no government plans to facilitate the online sale or distribution of the offering, nor is there any official endorsement for platforms claiming to do so.
“We do not support or promote any such initiative. Those selling food items online under the name of ‘Mahaprasad’ are not authorised. There is no system in place for its online distribution,” he asserted.
The Minister also requested temple administrations across the state to refrain from offering any form of temple ‘prasad’ through online platforms, reiterating that religious rituals must be observed in their traditional forms.
His remarks came in the wake of reports suggesting that a mobile application ‘Easy Essentials,’ was allegedly offering ‘Mahaprasad’ for home delivery, sparking outrage among devotees and religious leaders in Puri.
