Seva Cafe: Living Is Giving

This Sunday was spent in a very different manner as I had a small meeting with my ex-school friends which was after a long time because all of them had their exams and dissertations etc. Before meeting them, I spend some time completing the e-book “Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown and then for the first time saw a movie of Comedy King Mehamood called “Sadhu Aur Shaitan”.

Then as we wrapped up the meeting early, my friend told me about an article that was in the local newspaper about a restaurant called Seva Café. So we made our minds to visit there and get some insight into what the fuss was really all about.

Surprises were awaiting us when we went there, though the first sighting was that the café was closed, still we made up our mind to just check out the place. Situated on the Fourth Floor of Shopper’s Plaza, just opposite to the famous Municipal Market (MM), a wonderful setup! The inside was such creatively decorated that it looked stunning, yet very simple in appearance. We were awe-struck at the sight and the ambience that this open terrace café provided. It was as if we have been transported to a totally different era or caught up in a time warp! Here the whole of the café is run by volunteers and provide food for 50 people, their timing being 7-10 pm (Monday closed).

The patrons who come to have their taste-buds tingled, are treated with the best gourmand and the café don’t have a bill payment system; you just foot the amount you wish! Seva Café also puts up its total gains and losses so that patrons can have the feel of a real transparently run enterprise. Really different from the world outside, where it’s all about deceit and corruption. The idea was started just four months back and is helped in by some of the local NGO’s like Manav Sadhna, Gram Shree, Utthan and many others. They also donate the money received to the needy and the poverty stricken fellow brethrens.

The also have a large collection of the traditional organics that are in rage currently. The is a whole range of oils, shampoos, face packs and other items like bags and other artistic items for sale which also goes into providing a better living/education to the deserving people.

Those interested in volunteering to work or be the guest cook to prepare one dish can just contact the receptionist and just be there once a week to help out the people towards a better cause. It was an awesome experience of being in such a place, a reward in itself. This place shows us that in a materialistic and cut-throat competitive world there are still people who believe in Living is all about Giving!!!

My salutations to such an endeavor and sincere wishes that this café can further motivate others too, such that the goodness spreads across and all of us can make the life of others much better!