WLBOTT has long been fascinated by the Sikh Golden Temple, in the Punjab region of India. We are especially fascinated by the free communal meals, called “Langar”, and the generosity and egalitarianism shown by the Sikh community.
By Shagil Kannur – Own work CC BY-SA 4.0
The Golden Temple (also known as the Harmandir Sāhib lit. ’House of God’, Punjabi: harimandara sāhiba pronounced [ɦəɾᵊmən̪d̪əɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ], or the Darbār Sāhib, lit. ”exalted court”, [d̪əɾᵊbaːɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]) is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.
The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, from all walks of life and faiths. It has a square plan with four entrances, and a circumambulation path around the pool. The four entrances to the gurudwara symbolises the Sikh belief in equality and the Sikh view that all people are welcome into their holy place.
In one of the stupidest moves by any politician[1]….
In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue Star, leading to the deaths of thousands of soldiers, militants and civilians, as well as causing significant damage to the gurdwara and the destruction of the nearby Akal Takht.
[1] Excluding the current US administration, which occupies the top 127 spots.
Indira Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards were not too happy with her:
Guru Ram Das Langar
Harmandir Sahib complex has a Langar, a community-run free kitchen and dining hall. It is attached to the east side of the courtyard near the Dukh Bhanjani Ber, outside of the entrance. Food is served here to all visitors who want it, regardless of faith, gender or economic background. Vegetarian food is served and all people eat together as equals. Everyone sits on the floor in rows, which is called sangat. The meal is served by volunteers as part of their kar seva ethos.
Wikipedia / Images By shankar s. – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66489703
In Sikhism, a langar (Punjabi: ਲੰਗਰ, pronunciation: [lʌŋɾ], ‘kitchen’) is the community kitchen of a gurdwara, which serves meals to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. People sit on the floor and eat together, and the kitchen is maintained and serviced by Sikh community volunteers who are doing seva (“selfless services”). The meals served at a langar are always lacto-vegetarian.
Within the Jammu hills, a significant component of the Sufi missionaries’ social outreach was to organize community kitchens, known locally as langar. In addition to providing meals to the needy, they were also intended to promote inclusion within their society and discourage segregation and untouchability, both of which were widely practised throughout the Indian subcontinent. This practice, largely facilitated through donations, allowed participants to discard their social identity and was considered a sacred duty. The tradition was inaugurated in the 12-13th century by Shaikh Farid.
The community kitchen started by the Sikh Gurus, was universal and accepting of people from all faiths and backgrounds, a tradition which has continued to this day. The type of food served and the method of cooking employed, further helped make Sikh langar universally accepted by all faiths and castes.
Volunteers helping preparing food for langar at the Golden Temple By Kulveer Virk – Langar Prep at Golden Temple, CC BY 2.0Wikipedia
Langar at the camp of Bir Singh Naurangabad, Punjab, c. 1850.
Fascinating web site about the Golden Temple and the Temple’s Langar….
WLBOTT Word-of-the-Day: Quintal
In the Golden Temple Community Kitchen at an average 100,000 devotees or tourists take langar in the Community Kitchen daily; but the number becomes almost double on special occasions. On average more than 100 Quintal Wheat Flour, 25 Quintal Cereals, 10 Quintal Rice, 5000 Ltr Milk, 10 Quintal Sugar, 5 Quintal Pure Ghee is used a day. Nearly 100 LPG Gas Cylinders are used to prepare the meals. 100’s of employees and devotees render their services to the kitchen.
Amritsar is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district. It is situated 217 km (135 mi) north-west of Chandigarh, and 455 km (283 mi) north-west of New Delhi. It is 28 km (17.4 mi) from the India-Pakistan border, and 47 km (29 mi) north-east of Lahore, Pakistan.
According to the 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,132,383. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Amritsar is the second-most populous city in Punjab and the most populous metropolitan region in the state, with a population of roughly 2 million.
[Amritsar has] an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft).
Coordinates: 31.64°N 74.86°E. The latitude is about 100 miles north of Austin, Texas!
No Turn Unstoned
Can you imagine – your first day as a volunteer at the Golden Temple langar. You’re handed the shopping list for today’s meal!
One reply on “Golden Temple (1 of 4)”
[…] We’ve been talking about the Sikh tradition of Langar (here and here), and what a great way to connect a community. Let’s try a thought experiment where […]
One reply on “Golden Temple (1 of 4)”
[…] We’ve been talking about the Sikh tradition of Langar (here and here), and what a great way to connect a community. Let’s try a thought experiment where […]