Puri: In a bizarre incident that took place late Saturday night, around 90 earthen stoves (Chulhas), meant for preparing the Abadha Mahaprasad for the Holy Trinity, at divine kitchen (Rosa Ghara) inside Jagannath temple in Puri town were allegedly vandalised.
“Some unidentified miscreants might have stealthily entered into the kitchen and ransacked the chulhas following an altercation after the traditional rituals were over Saturday night,” a servitor suspected.
Including the others, Pithagada, Kothabhoga, Satapuri and Thaliada chulhas have been vandalised. However, actual reason as to how the chulhas got damaged has not been ascertained yet, a source said.
The incident has triggered resentment among devotees. Many devotees had to return empty handed as this severely affected the availability of Mahaprasad in the temple.
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Meanwhile, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has launched a probe into the incident. Puri district Collector Samarth Verma also visited the shrine and took stock of the situation.
“This is an unfortunate incident which has occurred late Saturday night. The Niti Administrator and Additional SP (Security-Temple) are conducting an inquiry,” Collector Samarth Verma said.
“Cooking and availability of Mahaprasad at Anand Bazaar in the temple will be slightly affected due to the damages caused to the Chulhas in the divine kitchen. We are putting in all efforts to ensure that the rituals are not affected and Mahaprasad preparation is normalised as early as possible,” the Collector Verma further said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Rosa Ghara in Puri Srimandir is the largest kitchen in the world. It is believed that not a single devotee, who ever come to the temple, returns in empty stomach due to any shortage or unavailability of the holy Abadha Mahaprasad.
A number of cook servitors of the temple (Suaras), who are directly engaged in preparing the Abadha Mahaprasad, are only permitted to go inside kitchen of the Srimandir. Earthen pots are alone used to cook Mahaprasad which draws lakhs of devotees to the temple.
PNN