PURI: Pahili Bhog, the month-long special offering to Lord Jagannath and his siblings, was prepared by servitors on Tuesday morning. The bhog will be offered to the Trinity early in the morning every day from Dhanu Sankranti till Makar Sankranti.
As many as 32 types of sweetmeats like Badajhili, Chadheineda, Bada Bara, Manda, Kakera, Amalu, Enduri, Darasua Badi, Darasuajhili, Mugei, Nali, Ladi, Gaintha, Gaja and Khairachula prepared from grams, wheat, molasses, ghee and other ingredients will be offered to the deities.
On the day, the gates of Sri Jagannath temple were opened at 3.40 am and it took about an hour to complete ‘Sodha’ (cleansing the temple and its complex). Mangal Arati began at 4.30 am followed by Mailam, Abakash, Rosohoma and Suryapuja. The servitors dressed the deities in new clothes. Thereafter, Gopal Bhog and Pahili Bhog were offered simultaneously.
Since the temple remained closed for devotees, all the ‘nitees’ and rituals of the deities were performed in presence of servitors only.