Bhiwandi: ISKCON Bhiwandi’s initiative to provide free meals to people in need is set for a major expansion, with the foundation stone for a mega kitchen complex, capable of preparing food for up to 15,000 people every day, laid at the ISKCON temple premises in Mansarovar on Sunday amid religious ceremonies.
The project aims to strengthen and expand the organisation’s existing food distribution network and ensure that meals reach a larger number of needy people across Bhiwandi and surrounding areas.
The foundation-laying ceremony was attended by Sitaram Prabhuji, head of the Bhiwandi, Hyderabad and Sircilla Farm Temple authorities; Shadbhuj Gaur Prabhuji, in-charge of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust; Chaitanya Avatar Prabhuji, president of ISKCON Attapur, Hyderabad; Narottam Prabhuji, administrator of ISKCON Bhiwandi; temple administrator Sudama Prabhuji, along with Ishan Gaur Prabhuji and Bhavmaya Nityananda Prabhuji.
Senior corporators Santosh Shetty, Prasad Patil, Viraj Pawar and Sonu Deshmukh were also present at the ceremony, along with a large number of devotees.
Food service expands
ISKCON Bhiwandi began its free food distribution initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, initially providing around 200 meals a day to people in need. Over the years, the service expanded steadily and currently reaches around 1,500 beneficiaries every day.
The initiative caters to a wide cross-section of economically vulnerable people, including migrant workers, pregnant women, students, daily-wage labourers, slum residents, senior citizens, homeless people and financially disadvantaged families.
Mega kitchen plans
Temple administrator Sudama Prabhu said the mega kitchen project has been undertaken to significantly expand the existing food service. Once fully developed, the facility will have the capacity to prepare 15,000 meals daily, enabling ISKCON to scale up its food distribution programme across Bhiwandi and neighbouring areas.
The project is being seen as a significant step towards institutionalising and expanding the organisation’s ongoing Anna Seva initiative, which has grown considerably since its modest beginning during the pandemic.
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Larger outreach planned
With the proposed mega kitchen, ISKCON Bhiwandi plans to build a larger and more organised system for preparing and distributing meals, allowing its food service to reach thousands more people in need on a regular basis.
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