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Food Programs – Anna Dhanam

 

Narayani Food Seva or Anna Dhaanam (providing meals) began in 1999 at Sri Narayani Peedam, and extended to local schools and local government-run orphanages.

Today, Narayani Seva takes place everyday at Sri Annapoorani Mandapam, a large dining hall inside Sripuram. A free South Indian meal is served on a banana leaf to all temple visitors and staff members. On average, between 8000 to 10 000 guests are fed daily!!!!

Amma has explained that when material gifts are given, like money or clothing, the recipient will never be entirely satisfied. Human nature is such that they will always, ‘desire more’. However, when a person is offered food, at some point their desire will be satiated. When the belly is full, satisfaction is reached and the person will say, ‘I have had enough.Thank you.’ In this way, providing food for people is a very special seva.

 

Anna Dhanam (Anna = food; Dhanam = Giving) is offered to 5000 guests each day who visit the temple.

It is a tradition in India to feed those who visit the temple as an offering (for no cost).

 

Solar Kitchen & Bio Gas

Since early 2020, our kitchen is fuelled by solar energy to cook a tonne of rice a day for our 5000 guests. Biogas is used (mixture of food waste and cow dung) to cook all the South Indian dishes we serve, like samba, rasam, dhal and vegetable dishes etc.
This saves us 3 million rupees a year (as well as many trees), keeping with Sri Sakthi Amma’s environmental mission.

 

Food distribution during Covid

With the impact of Covid, families and communities struggle to survive. Cooked meals as well as bags or rice, cooking oil and general food items have been given out during Covid to families and communities in need.

 
 

There are many ongoing seva (service) activities here at Sri Narayani Peedam. For example, when we talk about Annadhanam, it may seem like we are only feeding a person. But no, we are actually feeding the Divine. When we feed a person, along with their physical body, their soul is also happy and feels joy – as the soul is Divine.

It is a great blessing that we are feeding the Divine. Only in human birth does this become possible.”

– Sri Sakthi Amma

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