A meal is a small thing.
And also, it isn't.
It is the oldest form of love: I have something, you are here, here it is. It is warmth, and it is love shared between strangers — making the world that little bit more bearable. That little bit more joyful.
In the sacred land of Vrindavan (Braj), in Uttar Pradesh, India, the volunteers of Braj Bhūmi Group Inc. cook and distribute up to 5,000 plates of food every single day. The philosophy is simple: "All should be happy." And sharing food is one of the most joyful services that exist. You don't have to be anything to receive it. You just have to be there.
This is not an organisation we found online. These are people we have known personally for many years.
How this became part of Hope Joy Love
Friends of ours who run another — more explicitly spiritual — charity have been collaborating with those who run the Braj Bhūmi Group for many years. During that time they have shared with us about the work happening there — the free food distribution along with the distribution of clothes and blankets, especially for the winter. It has always been inspiring.
Then in 2022 we visited ourselves. Due to various health difficulties we were not able to directly take part in the distribution efforts, but nevertheless were so inspired seeing the beautiful and joyful moods of love those engaged in it possess that we wished — earnestly and sincerely — to help somehow.
A lot of time has passed since then but the memory remains clear and strong. These people are full of Hope, Joy, and Love, and we want to contribute to what they do.
Where your money goes
Any contribution that comes through Hope Joy Love goes to one thing only: the food programme. Ingredients. Fuel for the stoves. Fuel for the vehicles that carry the food out across the area. The full, unglamorous, practical chain that gets a meal from a kitchen to a person.
Braj Bhūmi Group does many things — cultural projects, education, the preservation of ancient wisdom traditions — and all of it is worth knowing about. But by agreement, everything that flows through this partnership feeds people. That is what we are here for.
Here is how each purchase translates:
— Digital products → 1 meal — T-shirts → 2 meals — Hoodies → 5 meals
At time of writing, each meal costs approximately 140 INR to prepare and distribute — roughly $1.70 at current exchange rates. Freshly cooked. Given freely. No conditions attached.
If you want to give directly
If something here has moved you and you want to give beyond a purchase, you can donate directly to Braj Bhūmi Group's food programme here: [dedicated link]
If you donate through their main website rather than this link, your contribution may go to their wider work rather than specifically to meals — both are good, but we want you to know the difference.
If you've read this far, thank you. It means something to us.
With hope, joy and love — Hare Krishna and Namaste. We pray you have a blessed day. x