As the sun entered the sign of Capricorn on the auspicious occasion of Makara Saṅkrānti, January 14, 2026, the sacred land of Ayodhyā Dhāma was immersed in an ocean of devotion. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, having completed their holy bath at the Māgha Melā in Prayāgraj, arrived at the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Rāma. To honor the arrival of these devotees, ISKCON Ayodhyā substantially expanded its Food for Life initiative, distributing more than 100,000 free prasādam meals.
This vast act of service is firmly grounded in the eternal teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā, wherein Lord Kṛṣṇa declares: “The devotees of the Lord are freed from all kinds of sins because they partake of food offered first in sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for their own sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin” (Gītā 3.13).
Gītā Māniśī Devshekhar Viṣṇu Dās, Project Director of ISKCON Ayodhyā, explained that this endeavor transcends ordinary charity and serves as a means of cultivating genuine social harmony. “The Māgha Melā reminds us that all living beings are bound together on the path of spiritual progress,” he said. “Our humble ‘squirrel service’ this year in Ayodhyā Dhāma, the eternal abode of Lord Śrī Rāmacandrajī, is not merely meant to satisfy hunger. It is meant to dissolve social divisions. When thousands of souls honor prasādam together, distinctions of high and low, rich and poor, cease to exist. We wish to convey that true spiritual advancement can never be separated from social responsibility. By serving the pilgrims and safeguarding the environment through eco-friendly practices, we are demonstrating ‘Bhakti in Action’—bringing healing to both the heart and the Earth. This entire service is offered in dedication to our Founder-Ācārya, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and the disciplic succession.”
To accommodate the unprecedented influx of devotees journeying from the Triveṇī Saṅgama, ISKCON Ayodhyā extended its prasādam distribution to eleven service pavilions throughout the city.
Khichdi distribution by mobile van near Hanuman Garhi.
Crowd in front of the mandir.
Devotees distributing khichdi at one of the pavilions.
Vinay Bhūṣaṇ Chaitanya Dās, Director of Food for Life at ISKCON Ayodhyā, described the meticulous organization behind the effort. A team of more than one hundred volunteers commenced cooking at midnight, ensuring that fresh, hot meals were ready by the early hours of the morning. A coordinated fleet of mini-trucks functioned as the supply network, delivering steaming khichḍī to major locations including Tulasī Udyān, Vīṇā Chowk, and the Ayodhyā Dhāma Railway Junction. In keeping with the vision of “Green Ayodhyā,” all meals were served on biodegradable leaf plates, so that the immense flow of pilgrims would leave no harmful impact on the environment.
Under the guidance of General Manager Sadbhuj Gaur Dās, the atmosphere resounded with the transcendental vibrations of grand harināma saṅkīrtana. Alongside the distribution of prasādam, the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda were also distributed, thus nourishing both the body and the soul with spiritual knowledge.
Local authorities commended the devotees for their exemplary discipline and organization, observing that the well-planned distribution pavilions contributed significantly to maintaining peace and order amid the dense crowds. As the Māgha Melā continues, ISKCON Ayodhyā shines as a living example of the Vedic principle of annadāna, demonstrating that timeless spiritual values hold the true solutions to the social challenges of the modern age.
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