Mahaprashad Of Lord Jagannath

Lord Jagannath temple is not just another temple. It is the heart of Odia culture. There are hundreds of interesting facts are associated with Lord Jagannath and his temple. Mahaprasad is only one of them.Mahaprasad is the main offering of rice in the lord Jagannath temple. In most temple of India, devotee may take "Prasad" but only here in Jagannath puri one will get Mahaprasad. No other temple in India is rice offered as the main prasad to deities. It is said that Mahaprasad is cooked by no one but by mother Lakshmi herself.

The temple kitchen is the biggest hotel in the world serving all without reservation or previous notice. Daily 10,000 may be feed. but in big festival days it may be up to one lakh. The daily menu includes total 56 items. It is a very hard task for any men to cook all 56 items for so many. Clay pots are placed in a special earthen oven. Five in numbers one on top of another. Yet the one on the top is cooked first, not last.

The test of Mahaprasad has not changed from centuries. No one can duplicate the taste outside the temple. Not even the peoples who cook it inside the temple. When cooks carry the bhog from the kitchen to the temple, it has no Basana, no fragrance, no sweet aroma. But after offering, when they carry it from the temple to the ANAND BAZAR for sale, It smells divinely sweet. one interesting fact about the kitchen is, if mother Lakshmi is displeased with the preparation, a dog will appear mysteriously on the temple grounds. As no dog can enter the temple, this dog is said to be KUTMA CHANDI, a tantric goddess in charge of purification of food. if the dog seen, all the food must be buried and prepared again. one interesting believes associated with Mahaprasad is that, to seal any promise or vow, two friends holds a pot of Mahaprasad together and eat together from same pot. after doing this their friendship became larger than life. There is a basic rules to be followed while taking Mahaprasad and that is, One should not consume Mahaprasad by sitting on chair and table. You should always take Mahaprasad by siting on ground. It is a respect towards the lord. Before taking Mahaprasad, you should recite this Hymn. Jagannath Tastwa Nividya, Nasti Sanspasta, Dusanam Sakruta Vakshana Matruna papevwo muchyate puman

Meaning: May I commit no more sin in past, present or future. By eating this Mahaprasad offered to lord Jagannath.

• This hymn is from Brahmanda Purana.