Ananda Bazaar: The Market of Joy

Published on 10/26/2024

The Ultimate Feast

Located on the northeastern side of the outer enclosure of the Shree Mandira is the Ananda Bazaar, literally translating to the "Market of Joy." It is the dedicated area where the sacred Mahaprasad is sold to thousands of devotees every single day.

A Casteless Dining Hall

Ananda Bazaar is one of the very few places in traditional India where the strict rules of the caste system completely dissolve.

"Inside the Ananda Bazaar, there is no untouchability. A person from the lowest strata of society can eat from the same leaf-plate as a high-caste Brahmin without any hesitation."

The sheer scale of the operation is mind-boggling. It is estimated that Ananda Bazaar can feed over 100,000 people on a festival day. The food is cooked in the legendary Rosaghara (temple kitchen), offered first to Lord Jagannath, then to Goddess Vimala, after which it arrives at the market as the deeply purifying Mahaprasad.