BHUBANESWAR: A group of people including a member of Shree Jagannath Temple’s ‘Suara Nijog’ was found making fake ‘abadha’ at Paika Sahi in Puri on Friday. As per reports, a tent was set up near Radhakrushna Mutt on Loknath Road where the food was being cooked for the 10th-day ritual of a deceased on the day. However, the cooked food was kept in ‘kodua’ or traditional earthen pots in which ‘abadha’ is kept and sold in Srimandir’s Ananda Bazaar.
Officers of Baseli Sahi police station informed the food was being prepared by a member of the Shree Jagannath Temple’s Suara Nijog Gopal Panda who is a resident of Paika Sahi. “A local Deepak Mohanty had asked Panda to prepare the food for observance of the 10th day ritual of his uncle Arun Mohanty. Upon receiving information, we reached the spot but no food was served to anyone by then,” a police officer informed.
However, allegations of fake ‘abadha’ cropped up as the cooked food was kept in ‘koduas’. By the time police reached the spot, everyone involved in making the food had fled. While no case has been lodged, police have submitted its preliminary report on the issue to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) for further inquiry.
Meanwhile, sources in the Suara Nijog of Srimandir said strict disciplinary action will be taken against any nijog member found guilty of cooking and serving food in the name of ‘abadha’. The nijog is contemplating filing a police complaint in this regard. A member Narayan Mahasuara said if the food was being cooked for death or any other ritual, it should have been kept in normal utensils and not ‘koduas’. “It is wrong to keep any other food in ‘kodua’. Only ‘abadha’ is kept in such earthen pots,” he said.
In the past too, similar allegations have been levelled against some members of the Suara Nijog following which they were suspended. Usually during ‘anasara’ period, sale of ‘abadha’ is delayed and more so during the ‘ghana lagi’ (secret ritual) of the deity ahead of Niladri Bije. “Today, ‘ghana lagi’ ritual of the deity was underway due to which the sale of ‘abadha’ was delayed. Taking advantage of this, some people cheat others by selling them normal food in the name of ‘abadha,’” Narayan added. Other members of the nijog said they have pointed out several reports of sale of food in the name of ‘abadha’ outside the temple but SJTA has remained mum on it.