You get a bill after every meal in a cafe or restaurant. Right?
However, Seva Cafe in Ahmedabad does not give you a bill but asks you to pay from your dil – the heart. The meal taken by every guest is a gift from the previous guest. So, in the end, you get a chance to pass on the gift to the next guest by putting something into the empty cover.
This way, generosity is passed on from guest to guest through these empty covers. No one knows who they are gifting and who they have been gifted by. The beauty of anonymity strengthens the trust in humanity and leads to a beautiful community bonded by the threads of love and compassion.
Volunteers are the strength
Another beautiful fact about this space is that it is a volunteer-driven space. A waiter or a manager welcomes you in any other cafe, but at Seva Cafe, you will be greeted by a volunteer. Their warm welcome brings along the energy of love, joy, and homely feeling. Students, professionals, business owners, and homemakers join for volunteering at the cafe.
On asking a few of the volunteers about why they are volunteering at Seva Cafe, they shared,
“We enjoy serving here at the cafe. There is no such reason or purpose for doing it. It’s just fun and we come to enjoy.”
“I live in a PG in Ahmedabad. I miss my home and can’t visit it regularly. So I come over here and volunteer. I have a wonderful family that saves me from homesickness.”
“It feels good to meet new people and I enjoy serving them regularly. I have an altogether different family here.”
Like these, many other volunteers find Seva Cafe a place to relax, enjoy and experience the missing warmth in their life. Volunteers perform all the activities like cleaning the utensils, serving, taking orders, cooking, and communicating with the guest. There is no such compulsion that you need to be a chef to volunteer. You can also be a part of the volunteer group by involving yourself in simpler and easier tasks.
What does a normal day at Seva Cafe look like?
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The vibes in this space are different from a typical restaurant, and thus the functioning slightly differs too. Every evening, the cafe begins with a small prayer. All the volunteers gather in the kitchen and stand in a circle to recite the prayer. After a prayer, they have a small introduction so that new volunteers can feel comfortable.
After the ice breaks, all volunteers are given their responsibilities, which they must perform until the cafe functions. While they are serving guests, volunteers are free to interact with the guests. The best thing about this cafe is that guests who come alone never leave alone. It is very normal for guests to befriend volunteers or connect with other guests in this beautiful space.
Numbers are allocated to tables in a typical restaurant to make serving easy. However, at Seva cafe, tables are named Joy, Prayer, Peace, Smile, Unity, Happiness, and so on. Even the refrigerator in the kitchen and gas stoves are given names. The intention is to create a connection with the things as well.
After the day ends, all the volunteers sit together and have their dinner after a small prayer. Just like a family eats together at the end of the day, all volunteers eat together after serving the guests.
Trust Capital
The main idea behind this concept is to serve selflessly and build a trust capital amongst the community. Every individual who steps in receives a gift from an unknown, increasing their trust in humanity. In a world where fear and doubt are prevalent, people have forgotten to trust.
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Instead of telling people to trust, Seva Cafe gives them the experience of reinstating and strengthening their trust through anonymous gifting. This selfless experience not only moves every guest but further inspires them to pass on this gift of faith to others as well.
The volunteering opportunity further allows every individual to experience the joy of giving. The community collectively strives to deepen the idea of “Love all, serve all”. Next time you are in Ahmedabad, do not forget to experience the joy of loving and sharing at Seva cafe.
“Food is easier to find in Ahmedabad, but the food served with love will only be available at Seva Cafe”