Kateel temple turns anna prasada waste into Shakambari Compost

Mangaluru: In an eco-friendly initiative, Kateel Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple is setting an inspiring example in sustainable temple management by converting waste from anna prasada into organic manure. The compost, named Shakambari Compost, is expected to be launched on World Environment Day and will be sold to the public at Rs 10 per kg.
This green transformation is being led by Mangala Resource Management Pvt Ltd, an enterprise inspired by the Ramakrishna Mission's Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan. Dilraj Alva, startup's managing director, told TOI that the initiative aims not only at waste reduction, but also at reinvesting the revenue generated into cleanliness and waste management activities at the temple.
He said that for nearly four years, Kateel temple maintained its status as a zero-waste temple. Every day, it generates 500–600kg of wet waste and 300–500kg of dry waste. While the dry waste, mostly plastic, cardboard, and low-value materials, is sorted at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), all the wet waste is composted within the temple's zero-waste facility that houses ten composting pits.
Alva explained that the composting process includes hermicomposting. "In this method, worms are introduced to hasten decomposition. Of the total wet waste generated at the temple, around 50–100kg is also sent to piggeries," said Alva.
Interestingly, pumpkin waste forms a large part of the wet refuse, as leftover seeds in the compost often lead to pumpkin plants sprouting naturally in the soil. "Hence, the startup has installed a shredding machine to improve compost quality, and about 5kg of compost is shredded daily," he added.
Each month, the temple produces nearly two tonnes of compost, which was until now used exclusively for its own agricultural needs. With the launch of Shakambari Compost, named by the temple's chief priest, after the goddess who embodies all fruits and vegetables, the temple hopes to inspire other A-grade temples in Karnataka to adopt similar zero-waste practices.
"The initiative is more than waste management. It is a model for how tradition and innovation can work hand-in-hand to protect the environment," said Alva.
Shriharinarayanadasa Asrana, chief priest of the temple, said that the temple has been following zero-waste management practices since 2021 as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability. "The goal is to raise awareness among the public so they can adopt simple waste management practices at home and gradually transition to consuming organic fruits and vegetables," he said, adding that the initiative reflects the temple's sense of social responsibility. Last year alone, about 28 lakh devotees were served anna prasad.