On March 5, Hindu Hitrakshak Samiti decided in a meeting to postpone a decision on protests demanding to resume the ‘mohanthal’ prasad at Ambaji Shaktipeeth Temple. Recently, Ambaji Collector issued a directive that the temple’s famous ‘mohanthal’ prasad will be discontinued, and only ‘chikki’ prasad will be given to the devotees. The collector noted that Chikki has a longer shelf life and it will make it easier for more devotees to get Prasad from the temple.
Hindu Hitrakshak Samiti gave a two-day ultimatum to take back the decision. However, on March 5, the organisation held a meeting at Pauranic Shiva Temple and postponed their decision to organise protests in view of the two-day Holi festival starting on March 7. A meeting will be held on March 8 to decide the next course of action to ensure Mohanthal prasad restarts at the temple.
Phaganni Punam, aka Holi Festival, is an important festival for the devotees of Ambaji. Every year, lakhs of devotees visit the temple for Darshan. The organisation decided not to take any action until the festival ends to ensure devotees do not suffer.
No chikki stock
As per reports, the reserve stock of chikki at the temple was exhausted on Sunday. The sudden decision to stop mohanthal prasad has allegedly shown the opposite results.
Mohanthal prasad Controversy
The temple administration at Shaktipeeth Ambaji Temple recently decided to discontinue mohanthal prasad. The change in prasad from the iconic decades-old ‘mohanthal’ to ‘chikki’ at the Ambaji temple, one of the Shaktipeeth, in Gujarat, has led to outrage and protests from the local residents as well as pilgrims. Mohanthal is a sweet made of besan (gram flour), sugar, ghee and milk. It is a traditional Gujarati sweet and has served as a prasad at many temples, including Ambaji temple, for many decades. Chikki is a brittle sweet made with jaggery and nuts, usually peanuts or sesame seeds.
The temple’s decision to change the prasad has been met with outrage. The administration has been given a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the order and reinstate Mohan thal as a prasad at the temple.
