Puri: After an agonizing wait of four days, the devotees heaved a sigh of relief after the Mahaprasad of the Lords was made available at Ananda Bazar inside Jagannath Temple premises on Friday.
On Thursday, Suara-Mahasuara Nijog had announced that Mahaprasad would be made available in time with the rituals of the Lords being performed as per the schedule.
After performing Sakala Dhupa (offerings made in the morning to the Lords), the servitors had ensured that Jatrangi Mahasnana (bathing the Lords) and Madhyanna Dhupa (offerings of Bhog include rice, pulses, vegetables and a variety of other items made to the Lords during lunch) were conducted in time.
Suara-Mahasuara Nijog had earlier refrained from Bhoga Mandapa rituals demanding compensation towards huge loss of Bhog to the tune of Rs 50 lakh due to inordinate delay in the rituals of the Lords on April 16.
“We had decided to prepare Mahaprasad for the devotees with profound respect to the Orissa High Court for its landmark judgment in our favour. We have no respect for the temple administration because of whom the impasses prevailed in the temple for four days. We are happy that the court severely reprimanded the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri Collector and SP for their inept handling of the situation,” said Damodar Mahasuara, president of Suara-Mahasuara Nijog.
He further said the three aforesaid officials had left no stone unturned to malign the servitor community in the entire country by giving false statements. “Though we did not commit any sin, we were treated like sinners. Since last three days, we had offered Kotha Bhoga to the Lords, but they (three officials) propagated that the Lords had to go without food. Even they went to the extent by threatening us and refraining us from preparing the special Bhoga ordered by the devotees,” he alleged.
