Today: the Worst Way of Serving Prasadam

Actually the method doesn't even deserve the verb 'serving'.

The "system" is: someone brings breakfast prasadam (generally the morning maha plus something cooked in larger quantity and a drink) to the prasadam hall in plastic buckets of different sizes (often without enough spoons for serving); then people come and make their plates. No one is serving. Often there are no plates, cups or spoons for the guests. There is no way of assuring that those who come a little later will get everything (Today, for instance, one of the first devotees to arrive took three of the dozen or so puris; if the first four people to arrive do as he did, the next 10-12 people won't get any puri...).

On top of that the devotees eat and walk away, without bothering to clean the place where they took prasadam and often leaving painfully obvious signs of subji and other remnants smudged around where the plate was.

Although also unacceptable, a better way would be that one or two devotees stand behind the containers and serve the devotees, who stand on line with their plate. This is also a sub-cultured system, but unfortunately it has been adopted even in Sridham Mayapur (where people are supposedly meant to learn Gaudiya Vaisnava culture) during the last Gaura Purnima Festival.

"The" system is that devotees sit in rows on the floor--chairs and tables could be provided for those who have trouble sitting cross-legged--and then the preparations are served, again and again, till everyone is satisfied. No need of getting up; no need of asking for any particular item (it will come around). At the end one server ask each individual if he needs anything.

In this way the devotees have daily the chance to serve each other, honoring the commandment of Srila Rupa Goswami. Expert servers gauge the amount of prasadam and the quantity they will be able to dispense to avoid that someone remains without some preparation.

The consciousness and the techniques of serving affects the culture, the mood, the spiritual advancement and the digestion of the participants. Investing in doing it right assures a pleasant, productive and Krishna conscious experience. It's worth the effort.