Somnath Trust to distribute 28 tonnes of ‘ladu prasad’ to Anganwadi children

Prabhas Patan: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today, on the last Monday of the holy Shravan month, offered prayers, performed pooja and jalabhishek at the Somnath Mahadev Mandir.

The Chief Minister has been visiting ancient Shiva temples every Monday during the month of Shravan. Accordingly, on the first Monday he visited Dhuleshwar Mahadev near Gandhinagar, on the second Monday Stambheshwar Mahadev at Kavi-Kamboi in Bharuch, and on the third Monday Hatkeshwar Mahadev in Vadnagar, a site of historic heritage.

On the final Monday of Shravan, the Chief Minister reached the Somnath temple, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the most revered shrine of Saurashtra. On this occasion, he also launched the distribution of “Ladu Poshan Prasad” for Anganwadi children in Gir Somnath district, an initiative of the Somnath Trust.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the Chairman of the Somnath Trust, has given the mantra of “Poshan bhi, Padhai bhi” (Nutrition as well as Education), emphasizing the importance of children’s learning along with their nourishment. Following this motto, the Trust has started a year-long initiative to distribute seven lakh nutritious ladus among Anganwadi children in the district. At an estimated cost of ₹1 crore, 28 tonnes of nutritious ladus will be distributed.

The Somnath Trust has also developed an automatic packaging machine to pack ladus without human intervention, ensuring airtight and hygienic packaging. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of environmental conservation, biodegradable material is being used for the packaging. The distribution will continue uninterrupted for a year.

The Trust has a tradition of social service. Every year, during the mango season, it organizes “Keri Manorath” and distributes about 2,500 kg of mangoes to Anganwadi children. Recently, 1,500 kg of sweet Kutch dates were also offered at the temple and distributed to Anganwadis. In addition, the Trust has provided 50 grams of peanut-jaggery chikki daily as a nutritious supplement to Anganwadi children for one year.

Over the past two years, more than 17,000 needy people have also received garments offered as Prasad, yellow robes dedicated to Lord Somnath and sarees dedicated to Goddess Parvati.

The Trust further organizes monthly dental check-up camps, artificial limb distribution, physiotherapy services, and general health camps benefiting thousands. At its Gir Goshala, the Trust nurtures high-quality cattle breeds and supports other gaushalas in Gujarat by donating Nandi cattle, strengthening the Gir cow lineage. DeshGujarat