Sharda Dinings

You can find Sharda Dinings in the Rajendra Nagar area of Gorakhpur. We are situated right across from the Kusht Seva Ashram, which is near the famous Gorakhnath Mandir. My family has been living in this part of town for a long time, so opening a dining hall felt like the right thing to do. It’s a very basic setup. We have long wooden benches and heavy tables that can handle a lot of use. During the festival seasons, the whole area around the Mandir gets packed with people from all over. We stay open late those days to make sure the pilgrims have a place to sit and eat something warm. The food we serve is just simple North Indian dishes, the same kind we eat at home. My mother is always in the kitchen making sure the dal is cooked just right. We don't use any fancy spices or expensive ingredients, just what we get from the local vendors every morning. The street outside is always noisy with rickshaws and bells from the temple, but people don’t seem to mind once they sit down to eat. We have a few big windows that look out onto the main road, but we usually keep the curtains half-drawn because of the afternoon sun. It’s a humble place and we don't try to be anything else. We just like cooking and serving the people who come to visit the Mandir.