PRAYAGRAJ: Be it spiritual matters or affairs of the world, no journey is complete without food and cooks are an indispensable part of any culture or event.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that majority of the akharas, religious and spiritual camps travelling from one state to another to attend big religious congregations also travel with a team of professional chefs and trained staff to prepare their meals.
At a time when over 400 religious and spiritual groups and organsiations are camping at the ongoing Magh Mela, majority of the organisations have a group of 12 to 15 trained staff including chief chef who decide and prepare meals for the staff of the camp as well as devotees taking prasad (feast).
Pithadhishwar Swami Brahmashram Maharaj, who is also national president of the Akhil Bharatiya Dandi Sanyasi Parishad, told TOI, “As we travel from one state to another to attend big religious and spiritual activities or fairs, we have a team of trained staff of 12-15 men including chefs from West Bengal and Bihar who always accompany us wherever and whenever we move. Once the Magh Mela is over, our trained staff preparing meal at the Charki Dadri Haryana Anna Kshetra will move to Haridwar to attend the Kumbh.”
Swami further added, “the chef and staff ensures that all devotees and seers coming to our camp are served food with devotion and that no one returns on an empty stomach”. For that, they chalk out the menu in advance and arrange for all the required materials.
The chefs and staff cooking meals for devotees and saints consider the act as a service to humanity. The chief and team members cook meals for over 1,000 to 1,500 devotees every day.
Kumar, preparing meal at a Ayodhya based spiritual camp at sector no. 3 in Magh Mela, said that he has attended several Magh Mela, Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh melas since 2007 at cities like Prayag, Ujjain, Haridwar and Nashik. “God gives us a chance to serve the people. Serving a devotee with a smile gives immense pleasure to us,” he added. “I love to cook and serve visitors. After serving these saints and seers for so many years, I am well acquainted with their taste,” said Kumar who claims that he learnt cooking when he was just 18 years old.
At many religious camps, mahants and mahamandleshwar cook meals for devotees and pilgrims. Pujya Guru Dev at Om Namay Shivaya anna kshetra accompanies volunteers to prepare meals.
The chef and their trained staff wake up at 4 in the morning and cook food for over 1,000-1,500 devotees every day. Though the numbers double up on main snan days. Moreover, the menu served to devotees and sadhus changes every day.