As the second wave of covid-19 continues unabated, many good samaritans are going the extra mile to help those in need.
Rajiv Singal, a Mumbai-based businessman, is providing food to those who have tested positive for covid19 and are in home isolation. Singal is a member of the Bharat Merchant Trust (BMT) and he has been sponsoring meals for about 150-200 families everyday since mid-April.
In September, Singal and his family members tested positive for covid-19. They were in dire need of good nutritious home-cooked meals.
"My whole family was hospitalised due to covid-19 last year. After being discharged, we were home-quarantined. Our neighbour helped us with food but it did not seem tasty or hygienic," Singal told ANI.
The next best thing was a tiffin service. He started to get his meals from Asha's Kitchen, a two-year-old home-cooked food delivery service in Mumbai. It took the load off Singal's family to a large extent. In April, when the city was gripped by the second wave, he got in touch with them again. This time, he wanted to sponsor meals for families under home-quarantine due to covid-19.
"We circulated the message through social media. Patients who were home quarantined responded with their details. The people registered with us will be provided two meals daily for 14 days. If they want to extend the service, they can give us prior notice," Singal told ANI.
The owner of Asha's Kitchen, Asha Bhartiya, along with her family and a few cooks prepare nourishing meals. Their tiffin is a simple vegetarian affair of rice, roti, daal, two sabzis, papad and salad. It contains no garlic and onion. The cost per meal is ₹220 plus delivery charges. Their area of delivery extends from Mahim to Bhayander in Mumbai. They have cooked over 4,000 meals for Singal. To order, contact on 9920160669
K.M. Bharatiya, Asha's husband, says, "Gudi Padwa se humare yahan sewa chal rahi hai (Since the Marathi new year in mid-April, we have been serving people with food)."
Those looking for home-cooked meals across India, there's covidmealsforindia.com. It's an initiative by chef Saransh Goila who curated a list of home chefs, tiffin services and dabbawalas from various states, to offer simple, nutritious food at this time. For an updated, verified list of safe food delivery services during covid-19, click here.
