Making it for the first time, over 115 varieties of Mahaprasad offered to lord Jagannath in the Shreemandir in Puri were put on display here on Sunday. In association with the Niladri Adhyatmika Trust and the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, the Mahaprasads were exhibited during a special programme at the Bansuri Guru Auditorium of the Institute of Technical Education & Research (ITER).
The Mahaprasads included Ghia Anna, Kanika, Rasabali, Rabidi, Masala Dalema, Mugadai and varieties of sweet desserts like Kadalirasa, Mathapuli, Birinadu, Paga Aarisa, Chhachi Kakera, Suara Pitha, Chuda Bhaja, Betamuan, Chandrakanti and six types of mouthwatering Pakhala.
Most of the food items among the varieties, which were never made available at the Aananda Bazaar of the Jagannath temple in Puri, were displayed, attracting visitors of the capital city. The Mahaprasads displayed were the offerings to lord Jagannath during all six seasons. The servitors use to offer prayer to lord Ganesha before entering the temple Rosaghara (kitchen). They are banned to enter the kitchen with moustache, beard, chewing betel and tobacco, wearing wrist watch or sindoor (vermilion) of any gods or goddesses, said senior Kotha Bhoga Supakar Biswanath Samantara.
During the programme, two Odia books ‘Odisha Mandirara Bhoga Parampara’ and Bhaskar Mishra’s ‘Shree Jagannath Gyanakosha’ published by the AK Mishra Agency were released.