Kitchen
Maharajji’s kitchen is the heart of it all. We welcome devotees and guests to share prasad and to share in its preparation. The kitchen at the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Taos serves from 500-700 meals per week to the staff, sevaks, guests and community members who come to serve at the ashram, experience Maharajji’s grace and have darshan of Baba and Hanuman-ji. Our biggest meal of the week is Sunday lunch. We also serve smaller community meals for Saturday lunch and Tuesday dinner.
If you would like to volunteer time to help in the kitchen with cooking, dishes or special projects like canning and chutney making or if you would like to make a special prasad offering to Maharajji and Hanuman Ji, please inquire in the kitchen, contact the kitchen at 575-758-3025 or email the ashram manager at anandi_manager@nkbashram.org.
We also welcome donations of food products to be used in preparing prasad. Please note that we do not use onions, garlic, mushrooms, meat, fish or eggs or any prepared products containing the above items. Check the labels on sweets or prepared foods before bringing them!
The following is a list of items that we can always use in the kitchen. You are always welcome to make any offering large or small that you feel called to bring.
List of Needed Food Donations:
-All types of dal
-Loose-leaf black tea
-Cardamom pods (whole green)
-Decorticated cardamom (black seeds)
-Basmati rice
-Tamarind paste
-Curry leaves
-Spices-turmeric, cumin seed, coriander, garam masala, fennel, mustard seeds, hing etc.
-Nuts-almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, etc.
-Dried fruit-raisins, dried cranberries, dried mango, etc.
-Fresh fruit
-Fresh vegetables
-Butter
It is an honor to serve Maharajji in his kitchen. Dada Mukherjee, one of Maharajji’s close Indian devotees, writes the following in his book “By His Grace” about Maharjji and prasad:
“Maharajji took special care to see that whoever came to Kainchi [ Maharajji’s ashram in India] was given prasad. When I first reached Kainchi, Babaji said, ‘Dada, whoever comes here is your guest. They come to see Hanumanji with their love and respect and you have got to welcome them. You must receive them properly and serve prasad to all.’…Babaji kept close watch on everyone and everything, down to the tiniest detail. He would visit the kitchens to keep people alert…as soon as the prasad was prepared, he would examine it carefully to see if the right ingredients had been used, if the potatoes were well-cooked, and if the puris were well-fried. He would say that it was of utmost importance to maintain the purity and sanctity of the prasad. Maharajji would remove the hunger of as many as would come to him. Often he said, ‘Food is God. Feeding the hungry is actually worship. God comes before the hungry as food. First bhojan (food) then bhajan (prayer).'”
Taos Ashram Kitchen Protocol
We welcome your participation in kitchen seva! Before helping out in the kitchen, please make sure you are showered and in clean clothes. All food or drinks prepared in the ashram kitchen are offered first to Maharajji and Hanuman ji before being enjoyed. Please do not taste or smell any food (even during preparation) before it has been consecrated. Do not eat or drink while preparing prasad. Keep personal belongings out of the kitchen. Do not sit or place small children on tables, counters or cooking areas. Keep conversation to a minimum in the kitchen. Please walk around unless you are coming into the kitchen to do seva.