SJTA Prohibits 3 Servitors From Entering Kitchen Of Puri Jagannath Temple For Use Of Iron Pans

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Chief administrator of SJTA Arabinda Padhee said the temple administration had taken a serious view of the use of iron pans by the Supakaras (servitors) for cooking Mahaprasad, popularly known as ‘Abhada’.

“Their action not only violated the age-old practice of cooking Mahaprasad in earthen pots in the ‘Rosaghar’ (kitchen) of the temple but also hurt the sentiments of thousands of devotees who throng the temple everyday and partake the cooked food offered to the Lords,” he added.

“All the three servitors have been banned from entering the temple premises and Rosghar. One of them, a Palia servitor, has been prohibited from performing the service of the Lords,” Padhee said.

He further said any kind of indiscipline in the services of the Lords or violation of the traditions and practices by anybody inside the temple would not be tolerated. The temple administration has taken the step against the servitors to put across this message to everbbody, he added.

It may be noted that the SJTA took the step on the basis of a probe report by a group of servitors. Following the allegation of use of iron pans in the Rosaghara on September 12, the temple administration had directed members of Suar Mahasura Nijog, Bidua Panti Badu Nijog, Rosapaika Nijog and Rosa Aminas to seize the pans and conduct an investigation and submit their report.