Bohra kitchen helps ease cash crunch in community

MUMBAI: Unlike many of her neighbours, Nagpada housewife Durriya Hinglawala has not queued up outside an ATM or a bank since the cash crunch hit the country on November 8. She says she doesn't need to worry much about non-availability of enough money in the house as one of the most essential things money can buy—food—comes from the community kitchen.

Hinglawala's is one of 7,3000 Dawoodi Bohra households in India and 13,500 in Mumbai, which bank on Faizul Mawaidil Burhaniya (FMB), the community kitchen patronized by the community's spiritual leader Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, for one nutritious meal a day. "It is Syedna's earnest desire that every community member eats at least one nutritious meal daily. The scheme operates globally and at a time of the current cash crunch in the country, our community members are least affected as far as arranging for food is concerned," said a spokesperson of FMB.

FMB is the brainchild of late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin who decided a couple of years ago that no Bohra anywhere in the world should go to bed hungry.

His successor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the spokesperson added, has carried forward the late Syedna's message as FMB has relieved thousands of Bohra women of the task of cooking. Now, Bohra housewives focus on learning other skills and contribute to the family income. "We have a physically disabled member in our family and I have to take care of him constantly. FMB has provided a great relief as I don't have to cook our meal," said Hinglaw

Run with the voluntary donations from community members, the kitchen takes care that equality is maintained in quality and quantity of the food cooked and distributed. "It is gratifying to see that the food that comes to my place is same in quality and quantity which has been sent to a richer member than me. At a time when you have reports of people going hungry due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the Bohras are assured of getting their tiffin in the morning between 8am and 9am," said Byculla resident Yusuf Savliwala.