Amidst the ongoing LPG cylinder crisis in the nation, the Shri Sai Baba Samadhi Temple in Maharashtra’s Shirdi, which serves meals to nearly 50,000 devotees daily during peak season, has extended its LPG stock as it relies partly on a solar-powered kitchen system.
Despite this, the temple is left in the lurch as it has just 10 to 15 days of LPG cylinder stock.
The temple saves around 200 kg of LPG every day with the help of the solar system installed in 2009.
However, not all cooking is done using renewable energy.
The distribution of commercial LPG has been affected in India due to the conflict in West Asia caused by the Israel-US attack on Iran.
Before the current shortage, the temple was using 1,200 kilograms of LPG every day.
Right now, the temple is rationing supplies and using only 700-800 kg of gas daily, said Sharad Shirole, Assistant Engineer (Mechanical) at the Shirdi Temple.
Explaining the functioning of the cooking system, Shirole toldTheIndian Express, “The solar cooking system has 73 parabolic disks on the roof.
These disks concentrate sun rays towards one point.
This point heats up.
This head is then used to heat water and create steam.
After enough pressure is built up due to that steam, it comes down to our kitchen, where we have a steam vessel.
The water in that vessel boils up, and we can cook rice, dal, and other such foods in that boiling water.”
He said that after the dal is boiled, LPG stoves are still used for thetadka.
“Other types of food, such as rotis that cannot be cooked in the steam vessel, are also cooked on LPG stoves.
During the peak season, the temple uses 1,500 kg of fuel every day, with the steam vessel saving about 200 kg of gas,” he said.
“Just before the commercial supply was stopped, we got one load of gas.
We have started rationing the supply now.
We plan on cooking simple meals and do not plan on cooking vegetables that take longer to cook,” said Shirole.
When the system was first launched in 2009, it could cook two tonnes of food using the steam vessel.
However, the efficiency of the heating mechanism has decreased over the years.
“We are planning an upgrade to the system in the next seven or eight months, which will enable us to meet up to 70 per cent of our cooking energy needs using solar power,” he remarked.
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune.
A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1.
Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2.
Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3.
Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens.
His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions).
He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
X (Twitter): @SohamShah07...
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