A video of a family eating the Mahaprasad from Puri's Jagannath shrine, on the dining table, has stoked a controversy in Odisha. The Mahaprasad is the holy food offered to Lord Jagannath, the deity of the 12th-century temple, and has been traditionally served and eaten while sitting on the ground.
At least 10 family members, including children, were seen at the dining table at a beach resort in Puri while a priest was serving them the Mahaprasad.
When a man confronted them, a woman asserted that they had asked around before deciding to eat at the table. The unidentified man then turned to the priest and demanded to know why he allowed it, the video showed.
With the video going viral and concerns being raised among the Jagannath devotees, the temple authorities issued a statement stating that it was against tradition to eat the Mahaprasad at the table.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said that it was aware of the picture showing Mahaprasad being eaten on the table, which was against tradition and had evoked a "reaction" from the devotees.
The Mahaprasad is divine and must be eaten while sitting on the ground, said the SJTA, requesting devotees to maintain the temple's centuries-old traditions.
"It is clarified from the side of the temple that the divine Mahaprasad of the Lord is worshiped in the form of Annabrahma. The ritual tradition of eating Mahaprasad sitting on the ground has existed since time immemorial. Therefore, all devotees are humbly requested to refrain from the activities that are against the tradition, like eating Mahaprasad at the dining table," the statement said.
In view of the local sentiments and religious beliefs, the temple authorities have also asked hotels in Puri to warn their guests against such activities.
(With inputs from Dev Kumar)
