In the age old sacred city of Puri, stands the grand Jagannath Temple, and every passing day one had to push through a surging crowd to accept with reverence the considered blessings that the lord's Mahaprasad had to offer. The grand golden kitchens of the temple of Severaism, the theological offering had one unique Mahaprasad to it- a modest sweet that occured closest to the hearth of a believer; the Purikha-ja.

The origin of Khaja
As it is widely believed, few devoted cooks at the court of Lord Jagannath decided to be rustling up his Mahaprasad, though the simplicity of it would not omit the divinity that he deserved. As the demi gods grabbed some flour and dusted it with oodles of ghee and sugar, and cast it into a crucible. Of flaky sweetmeats. The Purikhaja was then born, it's beautiful layers each containing their very own flavour of sweetening goodness, dipped very lightly in sugar syrup.

Khaja-making was another holy sacrament that brought the cooks face-to-face with Lord Jagannath. Each layer of dough was folded with the utmost respect, while the Khaja was frying in hot oil, prayers poured forth from their mouths to give each a religious touch.

A Sweet Symbol of Protection
Perhaps the most interesting amongst the stories of the Puri Khaja is a deprecated belief of the people of Puri: when cyclones or torrential monsoon rains threatened Puri, the locals would offer Khajas to the sea as a plea for protection 'From the hands of God upon the city.' They had their belief in the strength of Khaja with its strength and several layers. Thus the city would become immune to the Lord's town protection.

The protection tradition went well beyond Puri. Travelers carried boxes of Khaja while traveling across India, believing the sweet originated with Lord Jagannath's blessing. Packed close, this sweet ultimately lasted on longer travels, and the taste of Puri's sacred domain was brought for such far-off souls.

Giving Faith and Love
Today, every year, the Rath Yatra sees thousands of pilgrims gather to witness devotees in city processions carting Lord Jagannath and his siblings, Subhadra and Balabhadra. For the most devotees, the utmost blessing is the possession of Mahaprasad, which consists of Puri Khaja. To share that sacred sweet among such family and friends has assumed the form of a cherished mode of blessing promotion and rhythmical celebration.

Khaja Beyond Puri
With the spread of the fame of Puri Khaja, the sweet has become more than just an offering in temples; it has become the hallmark of an entire culture and a plethora of heritage to Odisha. Khaja was made at family homes for festivals and special occasions, thus preserving the tradition set by temple cooks. Over time, Puri Khaja also began to find its way into Mumbai, Pune, and larger cities like Kolkata.

So today though MixtureBox makes the authentic Puri khaja available to people from around the nation, this blessing can finally be available much beyond just Puri! With the first morsel from the plate to the stomach, relish the flavour and unbreakable connection that it embodies - right from the holy kitchens of the temple, to the hearts and homes of thousands of devotees and finally, graces the very plate in your home without you having to make the journey. But what's required of you is to feel the elated devotion behind the simple & sacred creation and learn more about the legendary historical journey. And tonight, when it's time for the next plate of khaja, remember the blessed ground from whence it came and the beautiful odyssey it has had before coming to your very own hands!