The chiming of tiny hand cymbals and chanting of the Hare Krishnas fill the Plaza of the Americas at lunchtime during the week.
The Hare Krishnas serve 700 to 1,000 plates of vegetarian food each day at $4 a plate, according to A. Ashkuff, senior ambassador for the UF Multicultural and Diversity Affairs Religious Diversity Committee.
In order to explain the spiritual implications and history behind this plaza lunch, Krishna Demonstration was put on by the UF Multicultural and Diversity Affairs at the Reitz Union on Friday night.
In the first event of its kind on campus, about 20 people participated in a guided discussion with the Hare Krishnas and sampled free food.
Former UF student Charles Morris, 23, who attended the demonstration, said he used to eat Krishna Lunch because it was a cheap and delicious.
“I think it’s really cool because it exposes you to another culture on a daily basis in a very mundane way,” he said.
But Morris said he knew little about the background of the more than 30-year-old Krishna Lunch tradition until he came to the demonstration.
He and the other participants first watched a short documentary filmed by Ashkuff.
The film explained that Krishna Lunch is served to Lord Krishna before it is served in front of Library West. After Krishna eats his share, the food becomes “karma-free” and is given to people.
Andres Salim, a 23-year-old UF student and resident at the Krishna house, explained to the group what it means to be “karma-free.” When someone does something bad, he or she should expect a bad reaction, Salim said. When something good is done, a good reaction should be expected.
But Hare Krishnas serve food as an act of worship for Lord Krishna, which eliminates karma from this action.
“When you do things for God, it transcends the idea of right and wrong,” Salim said.
Then Salim clarified the meaning behind the chants that are sung during Krishna Lunch.
The song has only three words, “Hare,” “Krishna” and “Rama,” he said. These are all different names for their god, and chanting the names is an act of worship.
The audience was able to join the chant along with the Hare Krishnas as they played the traditional Indian cymbals called kartals, a drum called a Balarama and an accordion keyboard instrument called a harmonium.
Salim also said that the food used in Krishna Lunch is locally grown. Some is grown at the Krishna House, located just behind Krispy Kreme on 13th Street.
The food is always vegetarian because the Hare Krishnas don’t believe in hurting other animals. There is also never garlic, onions or mushrooms in the food because these ingredients have bad karma, Salim said.
