Walking into a small mess at Gandhi Square in Poonithura, the first thing that draws attention is an old red postbox at a location where a conventional eatery would have had its cash counter.
Soon it emerges that the place has no cashier and that the postbox on the wall doubles up as the cash box or a donation box as one perceives it.
The postbox displays the nominal fares for breakfast, lunch, and tea and snack, with a message on the side assuring that every extra coin will go to the deserving. But that exhibition of fares is more of a formality as the mess being run on the licence of a now-defunct canteen of an Ayurveda Centre that makes such a display mandatory.
Customers are free to pay those exact fares, more, less, or even pay nothing if they cannot afford it.
Capuchin Ashram
“The underlying concept is one of sharing and compassion and even the postbox, which is associated with our nostalgic memories, was chosen to evoke those soft sentiments. That we are able to run consistently means that those who can afford are paying more, thus feeding the ones who cannot. This is a model that can be emulated by anyone, especially youngsters with a drive, as it can be run even from one’s house or a portion of a shop,” said Fr. Bobby Jose who came up with the idea and runs the mess with support of fellow Franciscan priests under the aegis of the Capuchin Shanthi Ashram. Sure enough, people are getting inspired as a hotelier in Kaloor is planning to implement it partially.
The mess is being run for fixed hours in the morning (7.30 a.m. to 9 a.m.), afternoon (12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m.) and evening (4 p.m. to 5 p.m.). The self-service mess has no plan to compete with conventional eateries as it remains service-oriented.
“We offer a frugal and nutrient vegetarian lunch in hygienic surroundings for around 60 people. Already, we have regulars who want to support the cause and gradually their number will increase once the flow of the curious lot subsides, which for sure will,” said Fr. Jose. And this he believes will build camaraderie and kinship among regulars, which is also among one of the objectives of the initiative.
Sujith, a private company employee, is among the committed lot and recently he brought his boss, originally from a north Indian State but settled here for long, to the mess. The boss was impressed and Sujith was buoyed.
And thus a message is passed on — of compassion, kindness, and humanity.