CUTTACK: A Five-member committee has been formed by the Justice Bimal Prasad Das Commission of Inquiry to examine functioning of the kitchen of Jagannath temple in Puri. The State Government had earlier formed the Commission of Inquiry to recommend reforms in the temple.
The five-member committee comprising Suara servitors will study factors like hygiene, condition of earthen ovens, water availability, storage facilities for cooking water and submit a report to the Commission within one month. The servitors are Fakir Mohan Mahasuara, Biswanath Samantaray, Chandra Sekhar Mangaraj, Deula Karana Gopinath Suara and Radhanath Mahapatra. Justice Bimal Das said these five Suara servitors are allowed to go inside the kitchen of Lord Jagannath.
“The committee members can also give their opinions/ suggestions to Commission for development of the kitchen of Sri Mandira,” he told mediapersons.
The kitchen of Jagannath temple is 150 feet long and 100 feet wide. It consists of 32 rooms and 250 earthen ovens. Around 600 cooks (Suaras) and 400 assistants preparing 'abhada' in the kitchen daily.