Puri: Priests of the Mausi Maa temple here are busy preparing Podapitha (a special cake) to offer it to the Srimandir deities during Bahuda Yatra or return Car Festival, scheduled for July 22.
The priests have started preparing the cake on the occasion of Herapanchami July 18.
Legend says a river named Malini was flowing between Srimandir and Srigundicha temple. The Srimandir authorities then required six chariots to conduct the Rath Yatra. Three chariots each were then deployed on either sides of the river to carry the deities during the Car Festival.
Lord Jagannath’s Mausi Maa (maternal aunt) had then sucked at least half of the river to facilitate the Rath Yatra. “To express his gratitude to Mausi Maa, Lord Jagannath had promised to accept Podapitha while returning Srimandir from Srigundicha temple on the occasion of Bahuda Yatra,” said a researcher. According to priests at the Mausi Maa temple, they prepare the dough for Podapitha by churning flour, cheese, sugar, cloves and cardamoms. The dough is processed by placing it on hot steam for seven to eight hours.
“The steam boiled dough is cut into small pieces. The sliced pieces are fried in pure ghee to prepare Podapitha. The deities are offered the cake on their respective chariots once they reach the Mausi Maa temple. The offered cake is distributed among devotees,” said Bishwanath Mishra, a priest at Mausi Maa temple.
Mishra claimed that the cake used to have a special aroma after servitors offered it to the Srimandir deities.
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