New community kitchen ‘Annakshetra’ inaugurated

Rajamahendravaram : A new community kitchen, Annakshetra, was inaugurated by the Hare Krishna Movement to provide free meals to the needy in the district.

The event took place on Saturday at Podagatlapalli village in Ravulapalem mandal in Konaseema district. This meeting was presided over by Dr Niskinchana Bhaktha Dasa, president of the Hare Krishna Movement.

Bandaru Satyananda Rao, MLA of Kothapeta, was the chief guest, while P Srikhar, RDO of Kottapeda division, participated as the guest of honor. Notable patrons include Krishna Mangipudi, who donated 22 cents of land for the kitchen, and Dr Alluri Indra Kumar, chairman of Avanti Feeds Limited, who contributed Rs 1.2 crore for its construction.

The inauguration included a Sudarasana Yagnam and was attended by various devotees and local leaders, including Gandham Devi Annavaram, president of the Podagatlapalli gram panchayat.

The Annakshetra kitchen aims to fulfill the vision of the Hare Krishna Movement’s founder A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, to ensure that no one within a 10-mile radius goes hungry. Currently, the kitchen serves as a centralised facility preparing meals for the government’s Anna Canteen programme, providing over 9,000 meals daily.

In addition to feeding those in need, the Hare Krishna Movement has initiated various programmes, including breakfast for schoolchildren and mid-day meals for aided schools. With the new kitchen, they plan to expand these initiatives further, supporting vulnerable communities across Andhra Pradesh.