Jagannath temple to open grievance cell for smooth sale of Mahaprasad

BHUBANESWAR: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Puri has decided to set up a grievance cell-cum-help desk at Ananda Bazaar in the shrine to ensure that the devotees are not fleeced during purchase of Mahaprasad.

The grievance cell will be jointly manned by representatives of the SJTA and Suar Mahasuar Nijog, an association of servitors, who prepare and sell Mahaprasad in the temple.

“Our motive is to maintain discipline in Ananda Bazaar. Devotees should not suffer while purchasing the Lord’s Mahaprasad. The proposed grievance cell will address the problems of the pilgrims. We will open it soon,” SJTA’s chief administrator Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra told TOI after holding a meeting with the Puri district collector Jyoti Prakas Dash and members of Suar Mahasuar Nijog at Puri on Tuesday.

The state-run Jagannath temple administration, however, is yet to finalise the rate chart for sale of Mahaprasad. Though the preparation and sale of Mahaprasad is fully controlled by the Suar Mahasuar Nijog, the temple body recently announced to introduce uniform rate chart for different types of dishes following allegation of exorbitant prices charged by several Mahasuar servitors. Just like hotels charge fixed rate for certain quantity and types of food in thali (plate), the temple administration planned to facilitate sale Mahaprasad through different rate slabs for different dishes.

“We discussed the matter with the Suar Mahasuar Nijog. Before finalising the rate chart, the temple administration will supply the Nijog the raw materials like rice, dal, vegetables and grocery for preparation of Mahaprasad. Then we will be able to know the amount of money spent on preparation of the Mahaprasad. Later, a decision will be made on the profit margin of the Nijog,” another temple officer said. The final rate chart would be installed in Anada Bazaar and other prominent places in the temple for the knowledge of pilgrims. Only those Suar Mahasuar Nijog’s servitors, identified the temple administration, will be permitted to sale Mahaprasad in the temple.

Sources said the Nijog plans to sell plain rice, dal and two curries at Rs 70. Devotees may pay around Rs 120 to avail plain rice, sweet rice, Khiri and four curries. Every day, Mahaprasad for nearly 15,000 devotees is prepared in the shrine kitchen, considered as the biggest shrine kitchen in the country. The kitchen has the capacity to cook 56 varieties of Mahaprasad for nearly one lakh pilgrims on a given day. At present the temple cooks more than 30 varieties of cooked and dry bhog. Prices of a meal vary between Rs 80 to Rs 250.