Puri: Around 250 ‘Bojhia’ who used to carry Mahaprasad from the sanctum sanctorum and Bhoga Mandap of Srimandir to Anand Bazar on the temple premises and other places in the Holy City here are now leading a miserable life as the 12th century shrine has been shut for the devotees for last two months due to the lockdown.
The Bojhias have been left jobless as the demand for Mahaprasad witnesses a sharp fall due to the lockdown, sources said.
These Bojhias usually depend upon Srimandir to earn a livelihood. They carry Mahaprasad from the sanctum sanctorum and Bhoga Mandap to Anand Bazar, the designated place for sale of the temple delicacies. Besides, they carry Mahaprasad to the North Gate of the shrine and other places in the city as per the requirements of the devotees.
The Bojhias usually carry Mahaprasad on their heads on the temple premises. And they often use trolley rickshaws to deliver the temple delicacies to devotees at various places in the city here.
“Srimandir has been shut for the devotees due to the lockdown over novel coronavirus. As a result, the demand for Mahaprasad has reached the nadir. Suar and Mahasuar servitors are now preparing only the Kotha Bhoga for the deities. The lockdown has taken a heavy toll on our livelihood,” rued a Bojhia.
The Bojhias, meanwhile, urged the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to look into their plight and provide them financial assistance. “We do not know when the temple would be reopened for the devotees. No one has come forward to help us in this critical juncture. The SJTA should extend a helping hand to us,” said another Bojhia.