| "I came across this non profit organization around a | | | | on scientific research of nutritional experts. It is |
| year back during our regular visits to Vrindavan. We | | | | prescribed by the experts after rigorous research |
| saw this beautiful temple complex before entering the | | | | regarding the best nutritional combination for a child's |
| main city of Vrindavan. We visited here to have | | | | overall development. |
| darshans. It is a large complex which is maintained | | | | The highly sophisticated kitchens are one of its kind, |
| very well and has one of the most beautiful deities of | | | | which are capable of cooking up to 2, 50,000 meals at |
| Radha Krishna. | | | | a time. This ensures high level of cost reduction as well |
| After we had darshans, we were taken for a kitchen | | | | as maintains the quality and hygiene of the food. The |
| tour by Shri Vishnubhakt ji, who is a young MBA and | | | | centralized kitchens cook more than a lakh meal in less |
| has devoted himself. Akshaya Patra Foundation is run | | | | than 5 hours with least human intervention and high |
| by ISKCON, Bangalore. Mr. Madhu Pandit Dasa is the | | | | quality. |
| chairman of this organization. Akshaya Patra is | | | | The distribution is one of the best. The food is |
| providing the food to poor children as mid day meal | | | | transferred to thousands of schools in a systematic |
| scheme. This activity is being run in various states and | | | | and well planned manner. The vehicles carrying the |
| has helped in getting back the school drop outs. | | | | food are custom build vehicles build by advanced |
| We saw the automated German plant for cooking | | | | technology to retain the heat in the food. The |
| food on large scale. First you come across the | | | | distribution system of Akshaya Patra is indeed a |
| kneading machine, which prepares the dough for | | | | science which has been a matter of study for various |
| chapattis. There is no touching of hand during cooking | | | | premier management institutions. |
| process, so a very high level of hygiene is maintained | | | | The organization maintains accounts electronically and |
| throughout the process. | | | | also maintains websites to educate and inform the |
| After the dough is made, chunk goes to rolling pin for | | | | people about its mission. It has a strong IT team as |
| pressing to make it flat evenly. After that it is cut in | | | | well which ensures that the Foundation is always well |
| circular shape and left over goes back to dough bin. | | | | connected to its well wishers. |
| Now these chapattis pass over the flames for cooking | | | | Akshaya Patra, Vrindavan is headed by Narsimha |
| and is turned automatically to cook other side. A good | | | | Prabhu an engineering graduate and very |
| even shape freshly cooked chapattis are collected in | | | | knowledgeable gentleman. It is an experience to attend |
| steel drums. | | | | his Bhagvad Gita lecture on Sunday morning. |
| On the other elevated platform, Dal, Subzi, Kicchadi, | | | | Akshaya Patra Foundation has its own guest house, |
| Rice or Kheer is cooked in large vessels by steam | | | | where any one can go and stay on paid basis. The |
| process. These are nicely collected in steel drums with | | | | guest house has family suite, A/c rooms, Air-cool |
| lids and are transferred to vans, jeeps or buses | | | | rooms and dormitory facility. It has its own restaurant in |
| depending upon quantity and destination. | | | | temple complex. |
| Entire Mathura district is covered from this kitchen, | | | | One can contribute by donations or by sponsoring the |
| providing meals to number of schools. Kitchen starts in | | | | children. The donors are given the benefits of staying |
| night at around 12 am and if you are staying there can | | | | at their guest houses for fixed number of days every |
| see the early morning movements of vehicles carrying | | | | year till the membership expiry. Once in year a special |
| food to far off schools. | | | | puja is also done in member's name. |
| The Foundation has one of the best kitchens | | | | On subsequent visits to this place, we became |
| infrastructures in the world to ensure quality and cost | | | | attached and now if our visit gap becomes 2 month or |
| reduction. It has been implementing science and | | | | more, we feel uncomfortable and feel that we are |
| technology to the highest possible extent to improve its | | | | missing something in life. It's an experience to visit this |
| operations, | | | | place." |
| The menu that served to the children is indeed based | | | | Article by: Mr. |