Pakhala: Divine offering at Puri temple for centuries | Bhubaneswar News
Puri: Pakhala, the humble dish, deeply rooted in Odia culture, has been part of the Jagannath Temple rituals since the 12th century, as evidenced by inscriptions at the shrine’s Patala Mandir.
“The tradition of offering ‘pakhala’ has been continuing for thousands of years,” said cultural researcher Surendra Mishra. “It has been documented in numerous inscriptions and the temple’s records of rights.”
Unlike the common household version, the temple’s ‘pakhala’ excludes chilli, relying on curd, ginger and fried cumin seeds for flavour. Five distinct varieties are offered daily, served in traditional soil bowls.
Narayan Suar, secretary of the shrine’s Suar Mahasuar Nijog, said the temple kitchen (roshaghara) has two special black stone pots for ‘pakhala’ preparation. “These pots are exclusively used by the tuna suar and thali suar servitors,” he said. “The rice is cooked, cooled and mixed with specific ingredients in these vessels.”
The daily offerings follow a precise schedule — ‘chipuda’ and ‘tabha pakhala’ in the afternoon, ‘subasita pakhala’ (flavoured with clove and black pepper) during the day, ‘dahi pakhala’ (curd rice) in the evening and ‘ghee pakhala’ at night. The latter, introduced during the 8th century Kesari dynasty, is a part of the Bada Singhara Bhoga — the Lord’s final meal before retiring.
“The tradition of offering ‘pakhala’ has been continuing for thousands of years,” said cultural researcher Surendra Mishra. “It has been documented in numerous inscriptions and the temple’s records of rights.”
Unlike the common household version, the temple’s ‘pakhala’ excludes chilli, relying on curd, ginger and fried cumin seeds for flavour. Five distinct varieties are offered daily, served in traditional soil bowls.
Narayan Suar, secretary of the shrine’s Suar Mahasuar Nijog, said the temple kitchen (roshaghara) has two special black stone pots for ‘pakhala’ preparation. “These pots are exclusively used by the tuna suar and thali suar servitors,” he said. “The rice is cooked, cooled and mixed with specific ingredients in these vessels.”
The daily offerings follow a precise schedule — ‘chipuda’ and ‘tabha pakhala’ in the afternoon, ‘subasita pakhala’ (flavoured with clove and black pepper) during the day, ‘dahi pakhala’ (curd rice) in the evening and ‘ghee pakhala’ at night. The latter, introduced during the 8th century Kesari dynasty, is a part of the Bada Singhara Bhoga — the Lord’s final meal before retiring.
