Digha Jagannath Mandir prasad reaches 400 S Kol homes as rollout starts in city
Times of India | 22 June 2025
123456 Kolkata: When ward 70 councillor Ashim Bose reached Satyajit Ray's Bishop Lefroy Road residence with the prasad of Digha's Jagannath temple, director Sandip Ray and his wife Lalita Ray both came to the main door to receive the packet that had a ‘gaja' and a ‘pera'.The moment marked the beginning of distribution of the prasad in Kolkata. Bhowanipore, CM Mamata Banerjee's constituency, became the first zone where around 400 houses received the prasad, said administrative sources.According to Biswambar Basu of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers Association, the distribution may pick up momentum from Sunday. "While we will be playing our assigned role across the state, our primary focus lies in the KMC, BMC and NKDA areas," said Basu. Sources said the process will continue on Monday, despite it being a day when ration shops are shut.According to councillor Bose, they plan to distribute 9,000 packets at the earliest. "We have readied separate teams and will be covering blocks in my area," he added."I have been waiting for the prasad for the past two days. I wish to visit the temple soon," said Konark Mukherjee, one of the first recipients. "Additionally, the picture of the Jagannath Temple in Digha that is being given as a souvenir is also a nice gesture," he added.Popular sweet makers from each block and municipal area of the city have been tasked with making the ‘pera' and ‘gaja'. A budget of Rs 20 has been allocated to each packet. After mixing a portion of the main offering from the Jagannath Temple into the sweets, they are packed and distributed among people.