Subrahmanya: An upgraded kitchen at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple will make it possible to prepare and serve of Bhojana prasadam quicker now on.

Earlier, firewood was used as fuel in the kitchen while preparing prasadam meals at the Shanmukha Prasada Bhojana Shale in Subrahmanya. Whenever a large number of devotees visited the temple, the facilities for the preparation of Bhojana prasadam were made on the first floor of the kitchen.

The kitchen, however, had a boiler system, fuelled by firewood, which only slowed down the preparation of meals. During festivals, the devotees were forced to wait for long for their turn in the second round of serving.

The new system, however, will provide a solution to such problems. The upgrade work has been carried out at a cost of Rs 61.59 lakh. Four LPG boilers and three steam vessels are set up at a cost of Rs 29.79 lakh to prepare rasam, sambar and payasam for up to 10,000 people at a time. In addition, eight steam vessels of 50-kg capacity each have been provided to the kitchen.

The boiler room has been constructed at a cost of Rs 13.50 lakh. Suitable protection is provided to the LPG boiler room.

The interiors of the kitchen too are being renovated at a cost of Rs 18.30 lakh. The walls are covered in granite, with new designs. The prasadam meals is served to devotees at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple on every mornings and evenings – except for days of Ekadashi, Krishnashtami, Shivaratri, eclipses and occasions of fasting.

Also, the food served at the temple is naturally considered very special by the devotees. Thousands of devotees partake of the prasadam meals every day and the number of devotees doubles during holidays.