Annalakshmi
Encyclopedia
Annalakshmi is an international chain of vegetarian restaurant
s operating in a unique concept of "Eat to your heart's content, Pay what your heart feels". It is run as a Non-profit organization
.
The dining is a large buffet
and accentuated with Indian art
and handicraft
s, and occasional classical dance and music performances.
Its adage "athithi devo bhava" meaning "the Guest is God" is the underlying factor. This is a tribute to the Goddess of Plenty or Abundance, Annalakshmi.
, Singapore
and India
. These ideals along with warmth and the service capture the imagination of diners.
It is guided by the inspiration of a monk, Swami Shantananda
, disciple of Swami Sivananda
of Rishikesh, who left India and founded it as the Indian vegetarian restaurant, in Malaysia.
At Annalakshmi, the food is prepared and served with love and the undiminished notion of service to humanity. The Volunteers strive to touch the hearts of the guests. Through the generosity of its guests helps to serve with the culinary and performing arts, but also help the underprivileged in India through The Temple of Service organisation, providing free food and healthcare.
- serve, love, give. Based on the ancient adage
- "Athithi Devo Bhava" meaning “the guest is God” manifested through the service of largely voluntary staff - housewives who know what it takes to prepare a wholesome meal and a team coming from all walks of life.
The ingredients for each item on the elaborate menu is traditional Indian cuisine
.
Annalakshmi is a unique restaurant. It is different from several conventional eating outlets.
It is run largely by volunteer staff who joyfully serve in a variety of activities like cooking, serving, cleaning etc. They do not work in “shift hours”. They volunteer and dedicate their time because they find joy in the underlying philosophy of serve, love and give.
Eating is considered a sacred ritual everyday in everybody’s life as the prayer goes — “thank you for today’s bread”. Anna means food and Lakshmi is the presiding deity. Hence the food served is “Prasad” - a sanctified offering. Any food or drink prepared lovingly, selflessly is delicious and nourishing, not because of its recipe and rich ingredients, but because of the spirit of self-less.
It has a branch in Perth
called as Annalakshmi on the swan, located on the Swan River
.
Tamil Nadu°N date=December 2010°W
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s operating in a unique concept of "Eat to your heart's content, Pay what your heart feels". It is run as a Non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
.
The dining is a large buffet
Buffet
A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
and accentuated with Indian art
Indian art
Indian Art is the visual art produced on the Indian subcontinent from about the 3rd millennium BC to modern times. To viewers schooled in the Western tradition, Indian art may seem overly ornate and sensuous; appreciation of its refinement comes only gradually, as a rule. Voluptuous feeling is...
and handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
s, and occasional classical dance and music performances.
Its adage "athithi devo bhava" meaning "the Guest is God" is the underlying factor. This is a tribute to the Goddess of Plenty or Abundance, Annalakshmi.
History
First started in Malaysia in 1984, Annalakshmi has branches in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. These ideals along with warmth and the service capture the imagination of diners.
It is guided by the inspiration of a monk, Swami Shantananda
Swami Shantananda
Swami Shantananda Saraswathi was a Hindu spiritual teacher and the founder of the art sanctuary, Temple of Fine Arts...
, disciple of Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism...
of Rishikesh, who left India and founded it as the Indian vegetarian restaurant, in Malaysia.
At Annalakshmi, the food is prepared and served with love and the undiminished notion of service to humanity. The Volunteers strive to touch the hearts of the guests. Through the generosity of its guests helps to serve with the culinary and performing arts, but also help the underprivileged in India through The Temple of Service organisation, providing free food and healthcare.
Concept
It was polished and unpretentious, its success is the result of its underlying philosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
- serve, love, give. Based on the ancient adage
Adage
An adage is a short but memorable saying which holds some important fact of experience that is considered true by many people, or that has gained some credibility through its long use....
- "Athithi Devo Bhava" meaning “the guest is God” manifested through the service of largely voluntary staff - housewives who know what it takes to prepare a wholesome meal and a team coming from all walks of life.
The ingredients for each item on the elaborate menu is traditional Indian cuisine
Indian cuisine
Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
.
Annalakshmi is a unique restaurant. It is different from several conventional eating outlets.
It is run largely by volunteer staff who joyfully serve in a variety of activities like cooking, serving, cleaning etc. They do not work in “shift hours”. They volunteer and dedicate their time because they find joy in the underlying philosophy of serve, love and give.
Eating is considered a sacred ritual everyday in everybody’s life as the prayer goes — “thank you for today’s bread”. Anna means food and Lakshmi is the presiding deity. Hence the food served is “Prasad” - a sanctified offering. Any food or drink prepared lovingly, selflessly is delicious and nourishing, not because of its recipe and rich ingredients, but because of the spirit of self-less.
It has a branch in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
called as Annalakshmi on the swan, located on the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
.
External links
- Annalakshmi's Official site
- Annalakshmi Singapore
- Annalakshmi Australia
- Annalakshmi Chennai
- News.com.au
Tamil Nadu°N date=December 2010°W