PURI, ORISSA, July 13, 2007: The famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa has become known for its large kitchen that has the capacity to accomodate the making of mega offerings. The news release explains, “Around 500 cooks and 300 helping hands prepare 56 different offerings known as Mahaprasad or Abhada for Lord Jagannath, which are served to the deity six times a day. The kitchen has 32 rooms, 752 stoves and nine earthen pots. The meals include seven different types of rice, four types of pulses, nine types of vegetables and different items of sweet dishes. Fine molasses, instead of sugar is used for preparing sweet dishes. But potatoes, tomatoes and cauliflower are not used in the temple.” Balbhadra Mahapatra, a servitor at the kitchen says, “You will never see it in any part of India. In one hour, food for one hundred thousand devotees can be prepared in the kitchen.” Sukadev Mohapatra, another servitor, adds, “It is not written in any book how much rice is to be cooked. Food is cooked for the devotees who come.” Radhakrishna Mahasuar, a devotee, sums it up, “This Mahaprasad has great significance because only people who are fortunate can have it. All your work is done and wishes are fulfilled after having it.”
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