The Mahaprasad is the sacred food-offering made to Lord Jagannatha, a revered deity in Hinduism, particularly in Odia culture. It is an integral part of the daily rituals and traditions at the Puri Sreemandira. The food is cooked in earthen pots and offered to the deities. It is distributed to all devotees, regardless of their caste, creed or social status.
The mahaprasad is of two types: Annamahaprasad (food offers) and shukhila mahaprasad (dry offerings). Various Food Items Like Anna, Ghruta Anna, Khichudi, Kanika, Payasa, Dali, Sakara, Besara, Mahaura, Khata, Saga and Khira are considering as Sankhudi Mahaprasad (Wet Oet). Pitha, Puli, Mathapuli, Khaja, Gaja, Jhili, Chadheineada, Kakara, Arisha, Nanamana, Manda, Chakuli, Chitou, Podapitha, etc. are consided as sukhaila mahaprasad. Both these types of mahaprasad are prepared by the cooks (know as suarabadu).
According to legend, Lord Badrinath, the presiding deity of one of the four Dhams, takes rest at Rameshwar after offering prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The kitchen where Mahaprasad is prepared is called the Rosha Ghara (kitchen) of the temple. This world-famous kitchen has 32 rooms and about 700 to 800 earthen ovens (chulhas) are used to prepare the Mahaprasad. The water used for cooking of the Mahaprasad is brought from two sacred wells, named Ganga and Yamuna, which are located near the kitchen.
The cooks, known as Suarabadu, do not speak to each other while cooking, fearing that their conversation might pollute the sacred food. This ritual signifies the food safety and importance of cleanliness followed in the Odia tradition. They prepare the Mahaprasad with devotion, with Goddess Mahalakshmi and Lord Jagannath in their mind. The Rosha Ghara is a sacred place where the Mahaprasad is prepared and it is considered a privilege to be a part of this sacred process.
The popular belief that Gods and Goddesses, eager to have Mahaprasad, descend from heaven and, disguising themselves as humans, flock to Ananda Bazaar to get a glimpse of Lord Jagannath’s MahaPrasad. It is believed that Goddess Mahalakshmi herself cooks the Mahaprasad in the divine fire of the temple kitchen. As Adi Shankaracharya has emphasized, the Mahaprasad is a manifestation of this ultimate reality, where even the most ordinary objects like rice and dal become imbued with divine energy.
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