Chennai Couple’s, Snacks On Cart To Earn Livelihood Start Initiative To Provide Free Meals To Poor

A couple in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, who had been making their livelihood by selling lunches like bonda and bhajji on their cart, started an initiative to provide food to the underprivileged hit by the second wave pandemic.
56-year-old N Kalyanasundaram and his wife Padmavathy share at least 200 food packets with the poor in Bakthavatsalam Street, West Mambalam. They have been serving homemade food for the past ten days from their pushcart named Shri Sabari Bajji Stall and Catering Services.

During the first wave of the Covid-19, the couple had to shut down their business for about six months, but as Kalyanasundaram read more and more news, he could quickly predict that nation might be hit with a second wave. Therefore, during September 2020, he started to save a section of his earnings for future use. Soon in May this year, lockdown had been declared, and he determined to use his savings to feed the hungry and the poor.

The couple contributes two meals a day, including sambar rice, puliyotharai, and other rice varieties for lunch. Meanwhile, food items like upma and Pongal are prepared for dinner.

“We also provide water bottles along with the packets. The feeling of knowing that people won’t be going to bed starving cannot be explained,” Kalyanasundaram told The New Indian Express.

Earlier this week, a picture of the noble deeds of the couple was shared on Twitter, and they received much affection and offers for donations. “Many people called me to wish me and even offered financial help to keep the initiative running. Now, it’s become a community initiative,” he said.
Kalyanasundaram had moved to Chennai in 1980 when he was 14-year-old, and that is when he stepped into the business of selling snacks. Since then, he has been catering snacks, and his pushcart food has been trendy amongst the locals.

To contribute call for more details, call: 9344732640