Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Tuesday initiated the process to fix prices for Mahaprasad in an effort to save devotees from being fleeced by unscrupulous sellers of the temple delicacy.
SJTA chief administrator PK Mohaptra held a meeting with the Suar-Mahasuar Niyog to chalk out the method for fixing Mahaprasad prices.
As per a decision taken at the meeting, the temple administration would take into account the cost of production of Mahaprasad to fix the prices. It would also take into account the profit margin for Suar and Mahasuar servitors who are entitled to cook Mahaprasad.
The SJTA would soon facilitate the cooking of Mahaprasad on an experimental basis to ascertain its exact cost of production. It would arrange clay pots (kudua), rice, dal and other ingredients for the purpose. A Deulakaran servitor and the temple supervisor would observe the whole process.
“The temple administration would ascertain the cost of production of Mahaprasad initially. Then, it would convene a meeting to take a decision on the profit margin. Once the process is over, rate charts for Mahaprasad would be displayed at Anand Bazar and other places on Srimandir premises to create awareness among devotees,” said an official.
Moreover, the meeting has decided to open a grievances cell for devotees at Anand Bazar, the designated place for sale and purchase of Mahaprasad. Representatives of Suar-Mahasuar Niyog and SJTA would be present at the cell to address devotees’ grievances.
“Officials at the cell would also provide necessary advice to devotees for purchase and partaking of Mahaprasad. The SJTA has urged the Superintendent of Police to deploy a police official at the cell. No unauthorised person would be allowed to sell Mahaprasad at Anand Bazar,” said the official.
The meeting also held discussions for supply of Mahaprasad to Habisialis who would reside at state government-sponsored shelter houses in the city during the holy month of Kartika.
Among others, District Collector Jyoti Prakash Das, SP Sarthak Kumar Sarangi, Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee member Ananta Tiadi, Suar-Mahasuar Niyog secretary Krushna Chandra Samantary were present at the meeting.
PNN