Bhubaneswar: Puri MP and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra placed a proposal before the railway ministry, requesting the availability of dry prasad or "sukhila bhoga" of Puri Jagannath Temple at major rail stations in Odisha.
During Lok Sabha's Question Hour on Wednesday, Patra urged railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to discuss the feasibility of dry prasad distribution with Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, servitors, and Puri king, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb.
The initiative intends to offer railway passengers travelling through Odisha a spiritual connection, according to Patra. He explained that this arrangement would enable train passengers to obtain the prasad even without visiting Puri.
"Many travellers desire to visit Lord Jagannath. However, their wish remains unfulfilled due to time constraints. These devotees would feel blessed if they bring home the sacred prasad instead," Patra said.
The Lok Sabha member proposed that small prasad distribution centres may be set up for devotees. "This would satisfy devotees' wishes and strengthen the spiritual significance of Puri Jagannath Dham. The dry prasad centres may be opened at key Odisha railway stations including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Balasore," Patra said.
Currently, Puri temple offers two types of bhog — Abadha Mahaprasad (steam-cooked items like rice, khichdi, sweet rice, dal, dalma, vegetable curries, and pancakes) and dry confectioneries (khaja, gaja, ballava, luni gaja, khira gaja, kora khai, and nirmalya). The dry items are made up of maida, ghee, sugar, milk and cheese.
Temple servitors have expressed varied opinions regarding Patra's suggestion. Senior priest Krushna Chandra Khuntia opposed the idea, stating that railway stations, which sell non-vegetarian food, are unsuitable locations for temple prasad. He insisted that Jagannath's prasad should remain exclusive to the shrine's Ananda Bazaar. "We will oppose the move when it is discussed with us. We should not disrespect the Jagannath tradition. Neither the cooked Mahaprasad nor the sukhila bhog should be sold or distributed outside the temple," Khuntia said.
Narayan Mahasuar, secretary of Suar Mahasuar Nijog, advocated for comprehensive discussions with all servitor associations before reaching any conclusion. "There is no harm in offering dry prasad at railway stations if we manage to uphold the sanctity of the temple tradition," said Mahasuar.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said it would raise the matter with concerned stakeholders only after receiving a formal proposal from the MP or the rail ministry.