“Bhog prasad is offered to goddess Durga and distributed for three days. On average 3,500 to 5,000 devotees relish the prasad every day at our pandal,” says Debashish Roy, organiser of the 94-year-old Bombay Durga Bari Samiti, Tejpal Road, Mumbai.   

Krishna Kamble, chief supporter and organiser of another renowned Durga pandal, Shri Anandadhara Durgotsav, Mira Bhayandar, says, “Bhog includes a wide variety of traditional dishes that are offered free of cost to everyone who visits the pandal to seek Ma Durga’s blessings. Over 1,000 devotees savour our bhog.”  

This year, Kamble fed over 600 poor families at Shri Anandadhara Durgotsav, Mira Road, Mumbai. 

Another very popular pandal in the city is the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti, Juhu, Mumbai which has been conducting Durga puja for the past 76 years. This pandal was established in 1948. Sharbani Mukherji one of the organisers of the pandal tells us, “The special This bhog khichdi prepared tastes completely different and has a variety of flavours that blend perfectly to satiate the taste buds.” 

Bhog, in most of the pandals, include common dishes like Khichuri, Chorchori, chutney, Beguni or Begun Bhaja, Luchi, Payesh, Mishti Doi, and Roshogolla. Other dishes also include Pulao, Labra, Alur Dom, Cholar Dal, Aloo Phulkopir Dalna, and Chanar Dalna.