Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is planning to make available Mahaprasad-the food offering made to Lord Jagannath and his siblings for devotees during the holy Hindu month of Kartik which starts from November 1.
The SJTA has planned to partially lift curbs imposed on the quantity of Mahaprasad to be prepared daily since the temple is closed for devotees to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
Secretary of Suara Mahasuara Nijog (Servitor body of temple cooks) Krushna Chandra Pratihari claimed that SJTA Chief Administrator Krishan Kumar had discussed the matter with them during the Chhattisa Nijog meeting.
Pratihari said that the SJTA Chief was keen that the devotees are not deprived of partaking Mahaprasad during the holy Kartik month since a large number of habisialis (widows who observe penance during the Kartik month to redeem themselves from the curse of widowhood) either take Mahaprasad from the temple throughout this month or prepare their own “Habisa” food with specific vegetables and pulses.
He revealed that the temple administration will be erecting shamianas near the Uttara Dwar and Dakshina Dwar (entrances to the temple facing the north and south directions) for sale of Mahaprasad within 4-5 days wherein all Covid protocol will be observed.
“Tokens will be issued to devotees who will come in a queue maintaining social distance etc and thereafter Mahaprasad will be issued on production of the token by them,” stated Pratihari.
The Suar Mahasuar Nijog at a meeting on September 8 has stopped accepting orders for Mahaprasad from outside in wake of increasing number of servitors getting infected with coronavirus.
The number of personnel engaged in preparation and supply of Baradi Abhada Mahaprasad was also reduced by 70 per cent.
The Nijog members had attributed the then spike in Covid-19 cases among servitors to the daily gathering of hundreds of devotees at the Uttara Dwar and Dakshina Dwar to place orders for Mahaprasad and receive the same without maintaining social distance and other Covid-19 guidelines.