Puri: Devotees won’t have to wait long for an official rate chart while purchasing Mahaprasad from Anand Bazar on Srimandir premises here.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Tuesday facilitated cooking of Mahaprasad separately to ascertain the exact cost of production of the delicacies.
According to sources, Mahaprasad was cooked at the temple kitchen under the supervision of SJTA officials and representatives of Suar and Mahasuar Niyog. The temple administration arranged rice, dal, vegetables and other ingredients for the purpose.
It was learnt that the SJTA would add a minimum profit margin to the cost of production before it fixes prices for the delicacies. “We will fix the prices after taking into account the cost of production of Mahaprasad including the remuneration of the cooks. We are taking steps to prepare the rate charts at the earliest and will display them at Anand Bazar and other strategic places at Srimandir,” SJTA chief administrator PK Mohapatra said.
The rate chart will display the prices of Mahaprasad with regard to the size of the earthen pots carrying the delicacies. “The rate chart will have prices alongside the photos of various sizes of pots carrying Mahaprasad,” said a source.
It is worth mentioning here that the temple administration had decided to fix the prices of Mahaprasad amid reports that some Suar and Mahasuar servitors were fleecing devotees while selling the temple delicacies at Anand Bazar.
“We are taking a host of measures to bring in reforms at Anand Bazar and Srimandir kitchen. We would issue guidelines to Suar and Mahasuar servitors specifying the quality of rice, dal, ghee and other ingredients to be used for Mahaprasad preparation. Any violation in this regard would invite action,” Mohapatra said.