Shri Sai Prasadalya
Shirdi Sai Prasadalaya has grabbed national and international awards for using science in the best possible way in collaboration with spiritualism to serve a strong social cause. His prasadalay has been termed as the Worldʼs Largest Solar-Powered Free Food Kitchen. You would be amazed to know these facts and figures.
Shree Sainath has healed the suffering ones and always served the impoverished during his lifetime, during his period in Shirdi, he himself used to cook and feed the starved ones as well as the animals. Carrying along with this rite of Sai, Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, built up the famous Shri Sai Prasadalaya in 2009 in Shirdi. This Prasadalaya exhorts Sai’s principle of free food to all and is considered to be Asia’s largest Prasadalya.
Infrastructure of Prasadalaya
Shri Sai Prasadalya has a huge dining hall with area of 11,550 sq mt, located behind Shirdi Police Station. With a seating capacity of 3,500 devotees, an enormous arena has been established on the ground floor. Plus, two separate halls with seating facilities of 1,000 each have been built upon the first floor.
More than 60,000 adherents are served free food regularly through this kitchen, while during the festivals like Ramnavami, Newyear, Dassara, Guru Poornima these numbers elevate to 85,000-1,00,000 devotees. Millions of rupees are spent carrying out this feast for the devotees of Sai Baba, who come from all around the world to have a glimpse of his divine land.
The Food at Prasadalaya
The food served at Prasadalaya is regarded as the Prasad of Sainath. This meal is first devoted to Sai and then to the proponents. The meal consists of dal, chapati, rice, two varieties of vegetables, and sweet. It is served free for all the devotees. Besides this, the quality and hygiene of the meal are fore mostly taken care of. The Sai Prasadalaya attempts to feed each and every follower of Sai, who visits Shirdi with the savory Prasad so that no one ever leaves hungry from the dwelling of their spiritual reverend.
Dining Halls and Tickets:
There are three Dining halls 1) Big hall on ground floor with siting capacity of 4500 devotees at a time. Devotee have to take ticket from Counter to enter the hall (Tickets are free of cost). 2) Two halls of seating capacity 1000 each at first floor. This two halls are having dining tables and meals are paid here. Tickets are available at Ticket counter on ground floor. (Currently 50/-Rs/Person are charged for this halls)
World’s Largest Solar-Powered Kitchen
Shri Saiprasadalya not only worked for a noble cause but moreover made brilliant use of both science and technology to convert their kitchen into a smart one. It entirely functions through the solar energy that It is spread across 4 rooftops with 73 solar dishes, making it the largest solar-powered kitchen in India. The solar dishes fuel the preparation of nearly 50,000 meals each day and the concentrated heat from all the dishes creates 4200 kgs of steam in a single day. These dishes concentrate sunlight on receivers that contain water, generating steam that is piped down to the kitchen for cooking the meals. More than 2 tonnes of rice is cooked through this plant every day, saving cooking gas of up to Rs 200 KG/day. As per the ministry of non-conventional energy sources, New Delhi, this has been identified as the world’s largest solar heating cooking system. It has also bagged the coveted Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) and Solar Cooker Excellence Awards- 2016. This solar kitchen has saved Rs 60 Lakh gas bill of the trust till now.
Machinery used in Prasadalaya
⦁ 73 Solar panels of 16 sq ft each are installed which provide steam for all the cooking in the Shri Saiprasadalaya.
⦁ LPG Gas project is instructed with the capacity of 20 tone Thermal Fluid Heating System, which is used for making the Prasad ladoo’s, due to which 30% gas is saved.
⦁ For the arrangement of pure drinking water to devotees R.O. Plant having capacity of 2500 liter/hour is implemented.
⦁ For dishwashing two imported dishwashing machines are used.
⦁ For cutting of vegetables two imported machines are used.
⦁ To wash the rice, vegetables, legume’s three imported machines are used.
⦁ For grinding flour online mill unit is sated up.
⦁ For cooking rice steam cooker is used.
⦁ The readymade material of flour, spices, turmeric, coriander powder etc are not used. They are made through pulverizing or grinding machines using raw materials.
⦁ The cold storage facility is available for vegetables & dry foods.
⦁ Chapati Making Machine are also used.
⦁ Various small Machines are used to automate the process and reduce the manual touch to food and keeping hygienic atmosphere.
Purified water facility
The R.O. plant has been installed that comes with the capacity of providing 2,500 liters/hour to the adherents. Furthermore, machines for the purpose of dishwashing, cutting vegetables, washing food items as well as grinding flour and spices have also been established. Alongside, a proper storage facility for all the food ingredients is also available.
Bio Gas Plant
Waste food from devotee plates is converted to renewable energy. Bio gas plant of 5 MT capacity is installed in Prasadalaya premises. Which saves 200 KG LPG/day.
Food Testing Lab:
Well-equipped Lab is established in Prasadlaya to test Grossery, Ghee, Oils and other edible items.
Awards:
Shri Sai Prasadalaya has grabbed national and international awards for using science and Technology in the best possible way in collaboration with spiritualism to serve a strong social cause. Sai prasadalay has been termed as the Worldʼs Largest Solar-Powered Free Food Kitchen.
⦁ ISO 2000:2005 Compliance of Food Safety Management System.
⦁ ISO 9001:2015 Compliance of Quality Management System.
⦁ Solar Thermal Award and Certificate of Merit from Ministry of New Renewable energy, Government of India for using Largest Solar Cooking System in Religious Sector.
Charity:
- Free meal is served to devotee taking meal in general hall, moreover meals are distributed freely to
- Shri Sainath Hospital and Saibaba Hospital for Patients and Patients relatives.
- “Dwarkamai Uraddhaashram” (Old age Home).
- Sant Dyneshwar School.
- Bind Deaf and Dumb School, Babhaleshwar.
- Sabka Malik Ek School, Shirdi .
Donation Schemes for Annadan:
⦁ Annadan Fund: This funds are utilized for prasadalaya activity, free meals to devotees, Hospital Patients, Meals to old age home, Student of deaf and dumb schools.
Note: Donation received for the Annadan fund will be applicable for deduction under section 80G of the income Tax.
⦁ Free Prasad Bhojan Scheme: Under Bhojan Scheme devotee can donate Rs 50,000 or more for free meals to devotee. The Name of donor devotee will be displayed on Donor Board for the date which devotee books. Amount for this scheme is accepted on local counter as well as online. (www.online.sai.org.in)
Note: Donation received for the Religious Program Fund (Sn 6 to 11) will be Not Applicable for deduction under section 80G of the income Tax.
Prasadalaya at Accommodation:
Prasadalaya is also stared at devotee centric location like Saiashram Bhaktniwasthan, Saibaba Bhaktniwasthan, Dwarawati Bhaktniwasthan. This will facilite devotee to have a meals at accommodation place only.
Bus Facility for Prasadalaya:
Prasadalaya is well connected with all accommodation by Sansthan buses. This buses are free and runs at regular intervals from accommodation location to Prasadalaya via Temple. Year Wise Meal Taken By devotee
