62. Kitchen Staff and Training

Kitchen Staff and Training:

"Approximately 1000 men work in the kitchen daily. 500 attain the status of executive chefs, called "swaras", and are the only persons allowed to cook on the stoves.

300 "first-string" assistants are called "jogunias". They are allowed to enter the kitchens to assist the swaras, but they mainly light fires, fetch water from temple wells, wash and clean the earthen cooking pots, and finally fill the pots with ingredients.

The other 200 assistants, the "second-string," are called "tunias". They are not allowed to enter the kitchens but work in front of them in the agana, engaged in such tasks as washing ingredients, cutting vegetables, grating fresh coconut into a powder, and stone-grinding herbs, ginger, and spice blends.

Once the preparations are complete, the mahasuara knots the end of a damp jute rope and makes a noose around the neck of the pot. He places the pot in a basket and then deftly builds a stack of 4 or 5 pots. One basket is then hung at each end of a flexible five-foot bamboo pole. To carry the lot, the mahasuara gingerly lifts the pole at its centre and rests it on his shoulder. Now with a slightly awkward gait due to carrying the heavy load, hips shifting from side to side, he transports 8-10 pots at a time to the offering area through a tunnel connecting the kitchen to the inner sanctum.

The carriers (suaras and mahasuaras) are also careful to cover their mouths and noses with cloth tied around their heads so as not to breath or accidentally expectorate upon the offerings.

"A special staff of men, called "mahaswaras", have the single task of transporting hot clay pots of food from the kitchen to the offering area, called the "bhoga mandapa". To lift a pot, the mahaswara knots the end of a damp jute rope and makes a noose around the neck of the pot. He places the pot in a basket and then deftly builds a stack of 4 or 5 pots. One basket is then hung at each end of a flexible five-foot bamboo pole. To carry the lot, the mahaswara gingerly lifts the pole at its center and rests it on his shoulder. Now with a silky gait, hips shifting from side to side, he transports 8-10 pots at a time to the offering area through a tunnel connecting the kitchen to the inner sanctum. This tunnel path prevents anyone from viewing the Lord's meal before the offering. The pots bobbing rhythmically at either end of the pole without a drop of food spilled.

All members of the kitchen staff begin training at age 12, after they have received brahman initiation and the sacred thread. They serve for life, or until they become too old to perform their duties.

Sri Kanu Charan Puja Panda Samanth, a senior temple panda states the most important principles in focusing the mind for service to the temple deities.

1. Before beginning to cook one should eat sufficiently and feel no hunger, to enable mental and physical strength to reach a maximum.

2. While cooking for Lord Jagannath one should constantly remember His name, fame, pastimes, and qualities in a mood of devotion.