Five men, one kitchen and 150 meals a day: Begusarai’s quiet fight against hunger

Patna: While apathy often passes unnoticed, a quiet service has been going on in Begusarai for the past six years.Five men from different walks of life have been lending a helping hand to needy as a daily practice since Aug 29, 2019. Through their collective, ‘Sai Ki Rasoi’, they have been feeding the hungry.The group comprises Amit Jaiswal, a former contractual Bihar govt employee; Nikhil Raj, a competitive exam aspirant; Kishan Gupta, an Army serviceman; Pankaj Kumar, a businessman; and Nitesh Ranjan, a govt school teacher. Strangely, some of them were still finding their own footing in life when they decided to lend a hand to those with none.“Five of us began with around 20 volunteers. The initial days were a bit difficult, but our earlier social service for blood donation, getting poor girls married and reaching out to poor people during festivals had created a favourable impression among people,” said Jaiswal, adding the real test came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when “hunger was more visible than ever”.What began with a modest crowd-funding effort of Rs1 lakh and meals for 50 people gradually gathered momentum. As word spread, residents started contributing — some in cash, others in kind. Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, exam successes and even death anniversaries are now marked by donations to the initiative. “Every rupee goes towards feeding someone who needs it,” Jaiswal said, adding that two members also contribute regularly from their own earnings.Now, meals are cooked for nearly 150 people every evening, without exception. The food is brought to the vicinity of Begusarai Sadar Hospital, where it is served to patients, their attendants, pavement dwellers and rickshaw pullers.The inspiration, Jaiswal said, came from watching social media videos of ordinary people across the country feeding the hungry during times of crisis. “Begusarai has often been labelled for the wrong reasons. We wanted to create something that reflected its better side.”Mindful of environmental issues, meals are served in ‘pattal’ (plates made of leaves). About 35 additional food packets are prepared daily for elderly and disabled people, besides beggars who cannot reach the hospital area. Volunteers fan out across the town to ensure they are not missed.Over time, ‘Sai Ki Rasoi’ has grown beyond meals alone. With donors’ support, the group distributes blankets during winter and extends assistance to impoverished families for the marriages of their daughters, after careful verification.All the members of the group believe that kindness, when practised every day, can quietly change a place and its people.