Impact of temple food customs on devotee’s spiritual wellbeing: an interpretative phenomenological study of Jagannath Temple, Puri

This study investigates how Mahaprasad, the sacred food offering at the Jagannath Temple, Puri, shapes devotees’ spiritual, emotional, and communal wellbeing. Moving beyond nutritional or theological perspectives, the research adopts an interpretative phenomenological approach to uncover the lived meanings attached to temple food as a conduit of faith and fulfilment. Data were collected through 45 semi-structured interviews with three participant groups, priests, sevayats (helpers), and domestic tourists, conducted in situ at Anand Bazaar, the temple marketplace where Mahaprasad is shared. Thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes, Spiritual Upliftment, Community Bonding, and Physical and Mental Wellbeing, which collectively informed the proposed Faith–Food–Fulfilment Framework. This framework illustrates how faith (belief and devotion), embodied through food (ritual consumption), culminates in fulfilment (spiritual, social, and psychological wellbeing). Findings highlight that consuming Mahaprasad evokes deep spiritual connection, emotional peace, and a sense of purification, while the communal act of sharing dissolves social hierarchies and fosters inclusion, equality, and collective joy. This study advances theoretical integration between health, spirituality, and social psychology, demonstrating that temple food functions not merely as nourishment but as a sacred medium for holistic wellbeing and cultural sustainability.