Have you ever heard of a restaurant without a cashier or cash counter?
Janakeeya Bhakshanasala (restaurant), an initiative of Snehajalakam, a pain and palliative care unit associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is all set to serve food free of cost three times a day.
Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, the brain behind this idea, says the restaurant at Pathirapally will have a box instead of a cashier. “All those who are hungry can come here. No cashier or cash counter will be there. After having food, people can contribute according to their capacity in a box placed at the restaurant. If someone is cash-strapped, they can enjoy the food and simply walk away,” Dr. Isaac says.
The restaurant will be inaugurated at 12.30 p.m. on Saturday. Dr. Isaac says that it is going to be a unique launch with all those supporting the idea assembling and having lunch together at the restaurant.
By volunteers
Dr. Isaac says the land for the facility has been provided by Snehajalakam volunteer A. Raju. To meet the vegetable needs, an organic vegetable garden has been set up in 2.5 acres of land owned by Sajeevan, adjacent to the restaurant. “Local residents are showing great interest in sponsoring food. Snehajalakam has already received sponsorship promises for ₹22.76 lakh. We are expecting more people to come forward to feed the hungry,” he says. Residents in the area contribute to Snehajalakam by avoiding extravagant wedding and birthday celebrations.
Modern kitchen
The restaurant is equipped with a modern steam kitchen that can prepare food for 2,000 persons at a time. Snehajalakam, along with other pain and palliative care societies in the region under the aegis of CPI (M), is involved in various voluntary services.
They are providing food free of cost to around 400 people in the four panchayats of Mararikulam Thekku, Muhamma, Mannanchery, and Aryad. Through an e-health initiative, services of doctors are provided to bedridden patients.
