Jagannath Temple, Puri – Food Offerings
Mahaprasada:
Mahaprasad is of two types. One
is Sankudi mahaprasad and the other is Sukhila mahaprasad.
Both the types are available for sale in Ananda Bazaar of the Grand Temple. Sankudi mahaprasad
includes items like rice, ghee rice, mixed rice, cumin seed and
asaphoetida-ginger rice mixed with salt, and dishes like sweet dal, plain dal
mixed with vegetables, mixed curries of different types, Saaga Bhaja, Khatta,
porridge etc. All these are offered to the Lord in ritualistic ways.
It is said, that every day 56 types of Prasad are
offered to the Lord during the time of worship and all of these are prepared in
the kitchens of the temple and sold to the devotees in Ananda Bazaar by the
Suaras. Sukhila mahaprasad consists of dry sweetmeats. Besides Sankudi and
Sukhila mahaprasad another type of dry mahaprasad is Nirmalya. This is
also known as Kaibalya.
In spiritual recognition Nirmalya is equally important
as Mahaprasad. There is a belief among Hindus that if Nirmalya is
given to a person on his death bed, he is certain to find a place for himself
in the heaven after his death following atonement of all his sins. Nirmalya is
commonly understood as dry-rice i.e. rice dried up in hot sun in Kaibalya
Baikuntha.
As laid down in the Skanda Purana things like flowers,
sandal paste, garlands, etc. which are treated with reverence on the Lord
including the other divine deities seated on Ratnasimhasana (throne) in the
temple are also known as Nirmalya after they are taken out from the deities. It
is thus clear to mention that any of the divine accompaniments or components
that is taken out of the Lord and his divine associates is known as Nirmalya.
Four hallowed shrines located at cardinal points of the
Indian sub-continent i.e. Puri, Rameswar, Dwarika and Badrinath are believed to
have been liked by Lord Vishnu intimately. It is said and believed that he
takes his bath at Rameswaram, meditates at Badrinath, dines at Puri and retires
at Dwaraka. Hence, the temple food Mahaprasad (not simply prasad) at Puri is
held to be of supreme importance.
According to Skanda Purana, Lord Jagannath redeems the
devotees by permitting them to partake his Mahaprasad, to have his darshan and
to worship him by observing rituals and by offering of gifts. Mahaprasad is
treated here as 'Anna Brahma'. The temple kitchen has got the capacity to cook
for a lakh of devotees on a day. Mahaprasad is cooked only in earthen pots and
medium of food is fire wood only.
The steam-cooked food is offered to Lord Jagannath first
and then to Goddess Vimala after which it becomes
Mahaprasad. This Mahaprasad is freely partaken by people of all castes and
creeds without any discrimination. The items offered include cooked rice, dal,
vegetable curry, sweet-dishes, cakes etc. Dry confectioneries are prepared of
sugar, gur, wheat flour, ghee, milk and cheese (Chenna) etc.
Legend has it that when the steam cooked food is carried
to the Lord in slings of earthen pots no flavor comes up from the food but when
the same is carried back to the sale point after being offered to the Lord a
delicious smell spells along in the breeze to the pleasant surprise of the
devotees. Now the food is blessed.
Mahaprasad consolidates human bond, sanctifies
sacraments and grooms the departing soul for its journey upwards. Mahaprasad
are sold in Anand Bazar or the Pleasure Mart of the temple which is situated on
the north east corner of the outer enclosure of the temple. It is the biggest
open-air hotel in the world where every day thousands of devotees purchase and
eat together forgetting their caste, creed and status.
Most of the residents in and around Puri depend upon this
Mahaprasad to entertain their guests during social functions such as threading
and weddings. In all auspicious occasions in Odia Hindu
families Mahaprasad is taken first. The tourists prefer to carry a particular
type of dry Mahaprasad known as “Khaja" (made of maida, sugar and ghee)
which stays fresh for days together. Mahaprasad is ceased to be offered during
the 21 days preceding the Ratha
Yatra, as the lord is said to be having fever in that period.
Daily
Food Offerings:
There are six particular times a day, starting from
early morning, when different kinds of Pitha,
vegetables, rice and dal are offered to Jagannath and
his sibling deities. Locally the offerings are called Dhupa when
offered
through Sodasa (16) Upchars and Bhoga when
offered through pancha upacharas. The most popular is the midday Naivedhya,
which contains the maximum number of food items. The items are not cooked by
any human beings, but rather the ingredients are put in earthen vessels and
kept on a wooden fire.
After time has passed, the items are taken away from
fire and taken by supakaras to the Sanctum
sanctorum or Garbhagriha for
offering. The Naivedhya is thereafter offered to the sibling deities that is
again offered to Vimala,
a form of Shakti.
Then the prasad becomes Mahaprasad and people partake the mahaprasad.
When the Sun stays in the zodiac Dhanu, during that time an additional
Naivedhya is given before sunrise which is called Pahili Bhoga.
Daily offerings to the Lord include:
Gopal
Vallabh Bhog (Breakfast at 8.30 am):
The first offering to the Lord in the morning that forms
his breakfast. The offering is the first one of the daily Prasad to Lord
Jagannath. The Bhogs are offered at the Anabsar Pindi. Breakfast is a
seven item treat - Khua, Lahuni, grated sweet coconut, coconut water, and rice
puffs sweetened with sugar known as Khai and curd, and ripe
bananas.
Members of Sevayats conduct this Puja in 5 Upchars. The
Sevayats who conduct this ritual are Puja Panda, Sudha Suar, Ballav Jogania,
Suar Badu, Gara Badu, Palia Maha Suar. In the month of Dhanu Sankranti, Ballav
Bhog is offered along with Pahali Bhog. Similarly, on the Dola Purnima and
Snana Purnima days, the Ballav Bhog and Sakal Dhup are taken up at one time.
During Anabasar, the Bhogs are offered near Jay-Vijay door as Sarpamanohi, but
not on ballav Pindi.
Sakala
Dhupa (Morning meal at 10.00 am):
This is the first cooked meal Bhog. This bhoga is also
called 'Kotha bhoga' or 'Raja bhoga'. The Sevakas offer this Bhoga
with 16 Upchars on sitting on Ratnavedi. This generally consists of 13 items
including the Enduri cake and Mantha puli.
Bhoga
Mandapa Bhoga (Supplementary to breakfast at 11.00 am):
The next repast and the offering consists of Pakhala
with dahi and Kanji payas. The offerings are made in the bhog mandapa, about
200 feet from the Ratna Vedi. This is called Chatra Bhog and was introduced by
Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century to help pilgrims share the
temple food. As per the demand of the devotees, the Bhogs are sold for a fee.
Madhyana
Dhupa (Midday meal at 12.30 to 1.00 pm):
Like the Sakal Dhup, this is also performed in 16
Upchars. The Sevayats engaged for the Sakala Dhupa are only allowed for
Madhyana Dhupa and Sandhya Dhupa. Generally different types of sweet cakes are
offered during this Puja.
Sandhya
Dhupa (Evening meal at 7.00 to 8.00 pm):
After the evening Arati, Sandhya Dhup Bhog is offered.
This Arati is also called as Jaya Mangal Arati. Items are also prepared on
request of devotees.
Bada
Singhara Bhoga (Late night Meal at 11.00 pm):
This is the last Bhog of the deities. As per the
record of rites of Srimandir, the time has been fixed for 11.15 pm. Before
Dhup, the Palia Puspalaks dress up the deities with silk dresses (Pata), flower
garlands and sing Gita Govinda. The Bhog is performed with 5
Upchars by three members of Puja Pandas by sitting at the side of Ratnabedi.
Distribution:
The Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath are distributed amongst
the devotees near the Ratnavedi inside the frame of Phokaria, which is being
drawn by the Puja pandas using Muruj, except for the Gopal Ballav Bhog and Bhog
Mandap Bhoga which are distributed in the Anabsar Pindi & Bhoga Mandap
respectively.
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