Bhubaneswar, July 17: Lord Jagannath’s unusual food cravings are known to all. His daily meals include lavish platters of exclusive local dishes, but his diet undergoes a slight change on the chariot pulling days of Gundicha yatra and the return journey, bahuda yatra.

On the rath yatra and bahuda days, the deities are served a heavy meal of khichdi for breakfast, also known as Gopal ballabha dhoopa. Made of rice, green grams, ghee, a dash of asafoetida (hing), bay leaves (teja patra) and ginger, the khichdi keeps the deities sated until they reach the other temple (Gundicha on rath yatra day and Jagannath temple during bahuda yatra).

“On regular days, the deities are given a light breakfast of milk-based items and then the abada anna bhoga or rice meal, for lunch. But for the rath yatra and bahuda yatra, they are given a sumptuous morning meal. Once the rituals begin and they are carried to the chariots, light meals are offered,” said Jagannath scholar Surya Narayan Rath Sharma.

Among the most important offerings is kora khai, which is made of puffed rice and coconut dipped in jaggery. Fruit salads known as phala phuluri and whole fruits are also offered till the deities are carried inside the temple. But during their stay at the Gundicha temple during the rath yatra festival and once they are carried back to the ratna sinhasana in the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple two days after bahuda yatra, the deities are served regular meals once again.

A typical Odia dish that the deities enjoy during bahuda yatra is poda pitha. Midway during their return journey comes the Mausi Maa temple. Here, the temple priests wait for the deities during bahuda yatra to offer the treat of poda pitha to the sibling trio on behalf of the temple Goddess.

The poda pitha offering from Mausi Maa is an old tradition. Generations of Raghunath Dash’s family have been preparing the special country cake for the deities on bahuda yatra.