LPG crisis disrupts bhog services in Bengal temples

Kolkata: The ongoing LPG shortage has begun to affect temple kitchens across West Bengal, forcing several prominent shrines to either suspend bhog distribution or drastically reduce the number of devotees being served.

Authorities at the Naihati Boroma Temple have announced that free bhog distribution will remain suspended from March 16 due to the unavailability of cooking gas. Temple officials said the service, which usually feeds large numbers of devotees every week, will resume once the supply situation improves.

The crisis has also affected the Jagannath Dham, Digha, where the temple kitchen has significantly reduced the scale of prasad distribution. Earlier, around 3,000 devotees were served meals daily, but the number has now been cut to roughly 700 because of the shortage of LPG cylinders. Temple authorities said the deity’s daily bhog rituals will continue without interruption despite the restrictions.

In Kolkata, the historic Bagbazar Mayer Bari has suspended its long-standing tradition of daily bhog distribution. Officials said the decision was taken after the shrine struggled to procure the required number of LPG cylinders needed to cook for hundreds of visitors each day. The practice, which dates back to the time of Sarada Devi, had previously been halted only during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At ISKCON Kolkata, the prasad menu has been drastically curtailed to conserve fuel. Temple authorities said only khichdi is being prepared for free dinner distribution. “We have reduced the menu to a single item to save nearly 60–70 per cent of LPG consumption while ensuring that devotees still receive prasad,” a temple official said.

Meanwhile, the historic Bargabhima Temple, Tamluk, is also facing difficulties. Authorities have decided to halt prasad distribution for general devotees after March 21 and cancel bookings amid the ongoing fuel crisis.

However, the situation has not yet severely affected the Dakshineswar Bhavatarini Kali Temple. Temple secretary Kushal Chowdhury said, “So far, the LPG shortage has not had a major impact on bhog preparation at the temple. We are continuing the service as usual, but we are closely monitoring the fuel supply situation.”