Bhubaneswar: Suar Mahasuar Nijog has warned its members against cooking bhog for the inauguration of the new Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal, on April 30.
The servitors body, which prepares ‘Mahaprasad’ for Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, said that any breach of the directive will result in severe consequences, such as being expelled from the 12th-century shrine and permanently barred from serving in the Puri Nijog.
This warning came amid reports that some servitors of the Puri temple were approached by Digha Jagannath Temple’s trust board to prepare ‘Mahaprasad’ for the guests and devotees during the inauguration on Akshaya Tritiya (April 30). A group of servitors from Puri is also said to have travelled to Digha for Pratistha of the newly-constructed temple.
Narayan Mahasuar, the Nijog’s secretary, emphasized that Puri’s unique cooking traditions should remain exclusive, advising members against preparing Mahaprasad at Digha. The servitors have been advised against acting as commercial cooks outside the Puri shrine.
A notice on the same has been circulated among members and displayed at the temple.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has also supported this stance, urging adherence to tradition.
The Digha temple, developed by the West Bengal government at a cost of Rs 250 crore on 22 acres, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
