A notice seen outside the community kitchen informs visitors that the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran has led to disruptions in cooking gas supply.
LPG crisis: Ayodhya's Ram Temple suspends evening meals for devotees
Community kitchen near the Ram temple, which serves free food prasad for devotees, reduces distribution from two meals to one
The LPG shortage has forced the community kitchen (Ram Rasoi) in Ayodhya's Ram Temple to cut meals from two to one. The kitchen, located near the Ram temple, provides free food twice a day to pilgrims visiting the temple. A large number of devotees visit the Ram Rasoi for the satvik food prepared and served as prasad. The kitchen usually provides free meals to nearly 10,000 devotees who visit Ayodhya and the Ram temple every day.
On Tuesday (March 10), a notice was put up outside the Ram Rasoi informing visitors that the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran had led to disruptions in cooking gas supply.
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“Due to the ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran, and the shortage of cooking gas in the country, today’s Ram Rasoi is postponed due to an emergency situation,” the notice read, issued by the Amava Temple administration, which runs the Ram Rasoi.
Evening meal suspended
It stated that the evening meal at the Ram Rasoi has been stopped due to the shortage of cooking gas. However, the morning food service, considered prasad, will continue.
Other community kitchens and free food distribution services in Ayodhya have also been affected by the LPG shortage.
Also read: TTD to serve free meals twice daily at 56 temples nationwide from March
A volunteer associated with the temple administration said the service had become difficult to continue as food is prepared for a large number of devotees visiting the temple. “Food like puri sabzi, dal chawal and kadhi chawal is served in the meal, for which LPG is used for cooking,” he said.
“The current stock of cylinders may not last very long. That is why food will be served only once a day. As soon as the LPG situation improves, operations will resume as before,” he added.
Alternative options
According to Saayan Kunal, general secretary of the Amava Mandir Trust, changes were needed to the arrangements due to the LPG shortage. “As soon as the situation improves, both food services will operate as before. Even in the morning, around 4,000 people take food prasad,” he said.
Also read: Could global gas supply disruptions threaten India’s energy security? | Capital Beat
(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh)
