Mahaprasad Row / Puri Hotel Accused of Mixing Mahaprasad with Non-Veg Food

Puri, Oct 5: A sensitive controversy has erupted in the holy town of Puri after allegations surfaced that a local hotel was selling Mahaprasad — the sacred food from Lord Jagannath Temple — alongside non‑vegetarian dishes.

The complaint was lodged against a hotel near Police Line on Station Road, sparking outrage among locals and devotees.

According to complainants, the hotel was allegedly serving meat dishes while mixing Mahaprasad with them.

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“At night, autos bring more than ten pots of Mahaprasad to the hotel,” said a local resident. “Today, when we bought a vegetarian meal, it tasted strange. On inquiry, the cook said he used temple food. Inside the hotel, we saw over forty pots of Mahaprasad.”

Another resident added, “I bought a vegetarian meal today, but the rice and lentils tasted like leftover temple food. We found several pots of Mahaprasad being mixed with meat dishes.”

The allegations triggered tension in the area, drawing crowds outside the hotel. Police arrived promptly to control the situation and began an investigation.

Hotel owner Manoj Kumar Das denied the charges, saying, “I bring Mahaprasad only for my family’s consumption, not for sale. After eating, I use the leftover pots for planting trees. The meals I sell do not contain Mahaprasad.”

Police have detained the hotel owner for questioning. “We are verifying whether the food being sold was indeed Mahaprasad or just leftover rice,” said an officer. The investigation will determine if the sacred offering was misused for commercial purposes.