Mysuru: The Dasoha Bhavan at Chamundi Hill in Mysuru is set to begin using mud or earthen firewood stoves from Saturday (March 14) due to disruptions in the supply of LPG cylinders linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Officials from the Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority said the temple kitchen will adopt a mixed cooking method using both LPG and firewood stoves to manage the limited availability of commercial gas cylinders.
Speaking on the development, authority secretary M. J. Roopa said efforts are being made to conserve available LPG cylinders while ensuring uninterrupted preparation of prasada meals for devotees visiting the temple.
“We will be using both gas stoves and firewood stoves alternatively. We are trying to save as many cylinders as possible,” she said.
Thousands depend on Dasoha Bhavan meals
The Dasoha Bhavan at Chamundi Hill serves free food to thousands of devotees visiting the temple every day.
According to officials, around 3,000 devotees on weekdays and about 5,000 visitors on weekends currently receive prasada meals at the facility. The numbers are relatively lower at present because of the ongoing examination season, which typically reduces temple footfall.
Despite the lower number of visitors, the kitchen requires a significant quantity of LPG cylinders daily for cooking.
“We need at least 12 to 15 cylinders every day for preparing food and laddu prasada,” Roopa explained.
The adoption of firewood stoves is expected to help reduce the consumption of LPG cylinders and ensure that food distribution continues without interruption.
LPG shortage affecting hotel industry
The disruption in commercial LPG supply due to developments in West Asia has also begun affecting the hotel and restaurant industry in Mysuru.
According to the Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association, around 50 per cent of hotels in the city remained temporarily closed on Thursday due to the shortage of cooking gas. By Friday, however, the situation slightly improved, with only about 10 per cent of hotels remaining shut.
Hotels that were closed included establishments such as SPR Hotel near V. V. Mohalla, Kairali Hotel near the suburban bus stand, and Guru Hotel in Nazarbad.
Many other hotels have managed to continue operations by procuring LPG from private suppliers or adopting alternative cooking methods.
Hotels turn to alternative fuels
To cope with the gas shortage, restaurants across the city have begun using various alternatives including firewood stoves, husk stoves, briquettes and electric induction stoves.
Hotel owners have also reduced menu options and limited the number of food items available to customers.
According to Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association president C. Narayana Gowda, some establishments have increased food prices by around 10 per cent to offset the rising operational costs caused by the shortage.
Mysuru has approximately 1,500 hotels, and nearly 25,000 workers depend directly on the industry for their livelihood.
Gowda noted that nearly 50 per cent of the city’s population relies on hotels for their daily meals, which means disruptions in the sector could significantly affect residents.
Similar measures in neighbouring districts
The impact of the LPG supply disruption is also being felt in neighbouring districts.
Small hoteliers in Yelandur and other taluks in Chamarajanagar district have reportedly begun using Tamil Nadu-style firewood stoves to continue food preparation.
Several fast-food centres, darshinis and small restaurants have also made arrangements to cook using firewood as a temporary measure.
Mahadevaswamy, a member of the Chamarajanagar Hotel Owners Association, said such alternative methods are being adopted to prevent inconvenience to customers and avoid job losses among workers.
“If the hotel industry is affected severely, hundreds of labourers could lose their jobs. Hence we are adopting alternative cooking methods like firewood stoves,” he said.
Situation spreading to other districts
The situation is reportedly similar in Mandya and Hassan districts as well, where hoteliers are preparing to shift to firewood stoves if the LPG supply situation does not improve in the coming days.
Industry representatives have urged authorities to ensure a steady supply of commercial LPG cylinders to prevent further disruption to hotels, restaurants and temple kitchens that depend heavily on gas for large-scale cooking.
Conclusion
With the ongoing disruption in LPG supply affecting both religious institutions and the hospitality sector, establishments across Mysuru and neighbouring districts are turning to traditional cooking methods as a temporary solution.
Authorities and industry representatives hope the supply situation will stabilise soon, allowing normal operations to resume in temples, hotels and restaurants.