Srikalahasti Temple Annadanam feeds thousands daily. Know timings, menu, donations, and the divine experience of sharing food at this holy temple.

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Srikalahasti Temple Annadanam: Complete Guide with Timings, Booking & Experience

Srikalahasti Temple in Andhra Pradesh, famous for the Rahu-Ketu Sarpa Dosha Pooja, is equally revered for its Annadanam (free meal service). Every day, thousands of devotees and poor people are served freshly prepared, sattvic food. The tradition is considered so sacred that locals believe any devotee who eats here leaves with Lord Kalahasteeswara’s blessings for health, wealth, and family peace.

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The Significance of Annadanam

In Hindu dharma, “Anna Daanam Mahaa Daanam”—feeding people is considered the highest charity. At Srikalahasti, Annadanam is not limited to festival days; it is carried out daily without fail, even during eclipses when other temples close.

What makes this Annadanam unique is the scale and spontaneity. During regular days, nearly 5,000–8,000 devotees are fed. On Maha Shivaratri and Karthika Masam, the numbers quietly cross 50,000 meals in a single day. Temple staff reveal that food supply never runs short, as nearby farmers often arrive with truckloads of rice and vegetables, offered without prior request—a tradition passed down in local villages for generations.

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Annadanam Timings

• Lunch: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Evening (limited): 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Meals are served every single day, including Amavasya, eclipses, and special festivals. On heavy rush days, extra halls and pandals are opened to extend the service late into the evening. Volunteers say that, on festival days, extra cooking fires are lit in makeshift kitchens to ensure no pilgrim leaves hungry.

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The Annadanam Menu

Food is simple, nutritious, and cooked in temple kitchens with care:

• Steamed rice
• Sambar with fresh tamarind
• Rasam
• Seasonal vegetable curry
• Curd
• Pickle or chutney
• Payasam (sweet dish) on auspicious days

Meals are served hot on banana leaves where possible, though stainless steel plates are used when crowds are too large. Many devotees believe that eating food here has a healing effect—locals share stories of pilgrims who claimed stomach ailments disappeared after partaking in Annadanam.

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How to Participate in Annadanam

1. Donations at Temple

• Devotees can contribute directly at the Annadanam counter inside the temple.

2. Online Donations

• Online payment portals allow devotees, including NRIs, to donate for Annadanam services.

3. Sponsorships

• Donors can sponsor Annadanam in memory of loved ones.
• Sponsored days often see donor names displayed on temple boards.

Suggested Donations:

• ₹500 – Feeds 20 devotees
• ₹1,000 – Feeds 40 devotees
• ₹5,000 – Feeds about 200 devotees
• ₹25,000 – Sponsors a full day (1,000+ people)

Locals whisper that on some occasions, donations are so abundant that excess rice and vegetables are distributed back to nearby villages as prasadam.

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Experience of Annadanam at Srikalahasti

1. Entry & Seating – Devotees queue and are guided into the large dining halls. Seating is arranged in long rows on mats or benches.
2. Serving – Volunteers, often students or retired locals, serve food with warm smiles, treating it as seva.
3. Peaceful Ambience – Even in huge crowds, there is a sense of discipline and devotion. The sound of “Om Namah Shivaya” chants often fills the background.
4. Completion – After meals, many pilgrims quietly thank the Lord before leaving, saying that the food feels lighter yet filling, unlike regular meals.

Regular visitors believe that the prasadam-like quality of the food comes not just from ingredients but from the mantras chanted in the kitchen while cooking.

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Benefits of Annadanam

• Considered equal to performing yagnas or homas.
• Brings blessings of health, children, marriage stability, and wealth.
• Ancestors are believed to be satisfied when food is offered in their memory.
• Removes papa karma (sins) from past lives.

Many pilgrims share that after sponsoring Annadanam, important life events such as job offers, marriages, or childbirths happened smoothly—strengthening faith in this service.

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FAQs

1. Is Annadanam free?
Yes, it is free for all devotees without conditions.

2. Can NRIs donate?
Yes, NRIs can donate online through official portals.

3. What is the quality of food?
Temple kitchens maintain strict cleanliness; food is fresh and sattvic.

4. Can devotees volunteer?
Yes, anyone can volunteer to serve food. Prior registration is done at the Annadanam office.

5. How many meals are served daily?
Around 5,000–8,000 on normal days, crossing 50,000+ during major festivals.

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The Srikalahasti Temple Annadanam is more than just a free meal service—it is an act of divine compassion. The temple ensures that no devotee leaves hungry, reflecting Lord Kalahasteeswara’s blessing of abundance.

Whether you eat, donate, or volunteer, participating in Annadanam here connects you to a cycle of selfless giving and spiritual fulfillment. If you plan to visit Srikalahasti for darshan or Sarpa Dosha Pooja, don’t miss the chance to experience Annadanam—it is said that this simple meal carries Shiva’s grace back to your home.