For 'Byanjan Dwadashi,' Gourabihar Ashram In Puri, India Prepares A 505-Course Meal For Krishna

Byanjan Dwadashi is an annual religious festival that has been celebrated in Orissa, India for centuries. On this day, devotees prepare food that is offered to the divine trio Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Legend has it that on this day, centuries ago, mother Yasoda prepared a lavish feast in order to appease her son Lord Krishna, a manifestation of Jagannatha.

On Dec. 7th, hundreds of devotees gathered together at the Gourabihar ashram in Puri, Orissa and prepared 505 food items that were offered to the temple gods. The food included different types of rice, lentil, vegetable curries and sweet dishes. The food was vegetarian, and according to Vaishnava religious custom, prepared without onion and garlic. After the food was offered to the deities, the devotees partook of the prasadam (literally, blessed food). The practice of sharing food with one's loved and dear ones is a particularly important aspect of this festival.

Comments

[flywithmeamerica]

08:06 PM on 12/16/2011

ah, sooooo hunggrryyyyyy.

oh, I mean Ganesha is...not me (*look around suspiciously for my wife*)

[Arcelio Martinez]

05:21 PM on 12/16/2011

I believe in everyone's freedom of religion BUT maybe they should feed 505 hungry people and start slaughtering all that beef on the hoof for the hungry in India

[flywithmeamerica]

08:09 PM on 12/16/2011

maybe.

But you can also look at it this way. Here is my personal opinion, eat cow if you want, i don't care, it's not against the law to do so. But I'm just telling you that there is more benefit from keeping the cow and using it's products than killing it, then not having anything to store it in. And letting the meat rot, because they don't have refrigerators. BTW, 70% of Hindus, 100% of Muslims and Christians do eat some form of meat.

and besides temples, feed thousands of people everyday in South India.

The problem is that, most people dont have money, and those who do have it dont want to give it up.

[Arcelio Martinez]

10:16 AM on 12/17/2011

bywithmeamerica ~They don't want to give it up ?? gee !! sort of like here ~~seems as if we have much in common with India ~~What I am trying to point out is that very fact .. There is food to share. The values are skewed and it is influenced by religion in this particular case

[Tenjikuronin]

11:30 PM on 12/16/2011

Using your logic, perhaps American homeless shelters should start slaughtering domestic dogs and using their meat to feed the poor...

[Arcelio Martinez]

10:20 AM on 12/17/2011

Tenjikronin ~~ don't make your logic into my logic.. I am merely pointing our that food is available were it not for religious belief .