ISKCON Bhiwandi to distribute 30,000 food packets on occasion of Ram Navami 2022

Mumbai: Annadaan, or Free Food Distribution, is one of ISKCON Bhiwandi’s most important undertakings. Even throughout the difficult times of the 2nd wave of COVID and the subsequent lockdown, the summer heat, and Mumbai’s terrible monsoon season, the Temple and its team dedicatedly cooked and served free meals to people in need on a regular basis.

Continuing this tradition, ISKCON Bhiwandi, situated in Thane Taluka, would distribute over 30,000 food packets during the upcoming Ram Navami week, which is celebrated on April 10th, 2022.

ISKCON Bhiwandi is also known to expand its Annadaan activities during festivals like Gudi Padwa, Akshay Tritiya, Krishna Janmashtami, Diwali, and other auspicious days. During such occasions, it distributes about 1 lakh meals in total. In year 2021 ISKCON Bhiwandi distributed 5.5 lakh meals to the needy.

The Temple has increased its Annadaan programme in response to the distress. Speaking about these efforts, Sri Narottam Priya Das, Head of ISKCON Bhiwandi, stated, “The world has gone through a lot of grief and hardship in the last two years, and we aim to do our bit for the community in line with the tenet of our revered Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, and the inspiration behind the Food for Life initiative, Srila Prabhupada.”

He further added, Srila Prabhupada – Founder Acharya for ISKCON remarked that no one should go hungry within ten miles of an ISKCON temple, and since then, ISKCON devotees across the globe have been providing people with free, nutritious, and Satvic food on temple grounds, through mobile van services, and specialized community relief initiatives. Although the lockdown has ended, poverty has not. Every meal we offer to low-income daily wage individuals turns into savings for them. This, in turn, can assist them in meeting certain additional expenditures. As a result, we are confident that giving them with a daily meal improves their life, and we are determined to continue our Annadaan – free food distribution programme.

India which was ranked 101st out of 116 nations in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) for 2021, with the GHI study describing India’s hunger as “severe.” Food distribution is an important social security instrument for addressing food insecurity. Food security may be ensured by ongoing efforts at the grassroot level of food delivery. Providing free meals to people with restricted access will be critical in creating a community in which everyone may live an active and healthy life.