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The ongoing LPG crisis in some parts of India has also hit the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) hard. Its daily free food distribution service has been severely affected.

LPG crisis hits ISKCON

Radharamn Das, Vice-President of ISKCON Kolkata, said that while ISKCON centres worldwide, with over 1,200 globally and over 80 in India, regularly distribute prasadam to everyone, the present LPG crisis has affected the organisation.

He said, “At ISKCON Kolkata, we distribute free dinner every evening at 7:30 pm to anyone who comes. However, due to the current LPG supply crisis, we are concerned about how to sustain these services if gas availability is further affected. Our kitchens in Kolkata are not equipped for large-scale wood-fire cooking, so a disruption or reduction in LPG supply would directly impact the quantity of prasadam we can prepare.”

He added that ISKCON has started to simplify meals for its resident brahmacharis and sannyasis “by preparing khichdi instead of separate items like rice, dal, sabji and chapatis. This helps us save nearly 60–70 per cent of cooking gas, ensuring that we can continue distributing prasadam to the public despite the constraints. We are closely monitoring the situation and praying that normal LPG supply resumes soon so that our service can continue without interruption.”

Problem at Jagannath Dham as well

The prasad distribution has also been affected at the Jagannath Dham temple in West Bengal’s Digha. While it serves around 3,000 people every day through breakfast, lunch and dinner, the shortage of LPG cylinders have forced the temple authorities to temporarily reduce the scale of distribution, and with dinner prasadam at present being prepared for about 750 people. Also, the temple is preparing contingency plans to increase the use of firewood if the present situation persists.