On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, devotees at ISKCON Juhu distributed more than 1,08,000 plates of hot meals to visitors at the temple and the underprivileged in Mumbai on 14 and 15 January 2013.

A team of 100 volunteers and ISKCON devotees prepared and cooked the prasada (sanctified vegetarian food) while another 200 devotees and congregation members coordinated the prasada distribution at various locations in Mumbai. More than 70 vans were dispatched from the temple since early morning to reach their designated location before noon to facilitate families to have hot lunch meals. Several members of the temple management including Gopal Krishna Goswami, GBC & Trustee; Devakinandan Das, Zonal Secretary and Braja Hari Das, Temple President visited some of the locations to distribute the prasada. The hot meal, which was served on environment friendly leaf plates, consisted of rice, dal, subji, pickle and halava.

A team of devotees distributed hot meals at the temple throughout the day to every visitor who came to the temple for darshan of Their Lordships.

Besides the temple, some of the places where the prasada meals were distributed are near National Park (Borivali, E), Aarey Colony (Goregoan W), APMC Market (Vashi), Bhawans College (Andheri W), Mithibai College (Vile Parle W), Thane Mental Hospital (Thane), Laxmi Narayan Temple (Santazruz E) and at certain locations in Dahisar, Ghatkopar, Chembur, Khar, Kandivali, Andheri, and Dadar.

Makar Sankranti signify the entry of Sun in the Northern Hemisphere (makara-rasi). Vedic scriptures recommend giving charity on this day — and of all form of charity, anna-dan or charity of food is most auspicious. A month prior to Makar Sankranti, several ISKCON Life Patrons, well-wishers and congregation devotees donated in cash and kind towards the Anna dan and made it possible for thousands of unprivileged citizens of Mumbai to have a hot sanctified meal.