Comments

April 24, 2008 at 5:23 am

(1) Amarpal Singh says:

I do not like the Term ‘Free Kitchen’
The word ‘free’ brings in commercial connotation, where as it is a service of divine. I suggest it be called ‘Guru Ka Langar’ only.

April 24, 2008 at 2:31 pm

(2) Sukhmandir Kaur says:

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Thank you for your comment, I share your view in that I’m not really happy with the words ‘ Gurus free kitchen’, but have yet to find a better expression to translate Guru ka Langar to someone who does not happen to be a Sikh or understand the Panjabi language.

My biggest challenge is to convey in English the concepts of Sikhi for the passer by.
About.com has 34 million viewers each year. What better English words can be used explain to someone who is not a Sikh or who is not Panjabi speaking who visits the Sikhism site? I’d be really happy if you could help me with this dilemma.

Kitchen implies a place where food is cooked. Divine service is beautiful but doesn’t readily alert a reader that food is involved.

I don’t fully agree that ‘free’ has commercial connotations, although in advertising it’s often used for something which ironically is not really free. The concept of free in this instance involves seva, the selfless act of service in the name of the Guru.

Our gurus stood for freedom of worship and civil rights. Long (uncut), hair beard, turban, and kirpan are all symbols of freedom. Similarly in the 60’s revolution the youth of America rebelled against society by growing their hair in the name of freedom.

Many years ago while attending Nagar Kirtan, my 5 year old son had been given a can of soda from Singhs doing seva and passing out drinks to the crowd. He ran up to me, his eyes wide and told me excitedly, “It’s free.” It made a very big impression on his young life.

There are charity organizations which serve free meals which are known as ‘soup kitchens.’ I suppose one could say ‘The gurus soup kitchen’, but I like the idea and sound of divine service. Please suggest a simple phrase in English which conveys the full meaning of Gur ka Langa in as many words.

Thank you so much for your valuable input.

April 26, 2008 at 8:49 am

(3) Amarpal Singh says:

Thought my position remains unchanged. I resoect your reasoning.

April 26, 2008 at 1:19 pm

(4) S_Khalsa says:

Please help me. I don’t wish to change your position but make use of it to better define what I’m attempting to express.
Does the word langar itself mean divine service? Would charitable be better than free? I don’t think of Langar as charity though, Do you? I think of it more as a blessing.
I looked it up the word langar in a Panjabi dictionary and it defines langar as a kitchen, a gentlemen’s kitchen, or cooked food.
So I suppose it means food cooked from that kitchen. So literally it might be correct to translate langar as kitchen, but it leaves out all the spiritual components of seva which benefits both the doer and recipient.
It’s my task to try to express all this in as few words as possible, so that anyone may understand and also to increase awareness. What I try to do is use a Sikh term followed by a simple explanation of a few words. I do not want to change Gur ka Langar into English only offer an explanation.
I do not seek to corrupt or dilute Sikhi expression only define them. I certainly do not want to drop Gur Ka Langar for free kitchen!!!
I was trying to find a phone number for a gurdwara today and it was listed under Sikh temple by Sikhs themselves. I don’t like the substitution of temple for guruwara , I’m sure you don’t, but it happens. When I write the word gurdwara, I can follow with place of worship, I don’t need to say temple.
So when I write Gur Ka langar I want to follow it with a couple words which say what it is, not substitute kitchen. Divine service is certainly a part of it, how could you add to or modify that to include food or eating?

April 27, 2008 at 3:46 am

(5) Amarpal Singh says:

Though the devotees do not have to pay any thing for eating in Langar; in reality it is not free. Some one has paid for the material cost of it and some one has contributed her/his time and efforts in cooking and serving it in Langar. Thus in true sense it is not free. Thus the use of word ‘free’ in my view is not proper.

Charity word also does not fit in because the word implies a donnor and a recipient. Which conveys a sense of arrogance of the part of donner which, in a way, demeans the one receiving it. Further ‘Sikh values’ do not allow Sikhs to accept things in Charity. Kirt is through whhich Sikhs sustain their lives.

Lungar is an instituion which dissolves one’s individuality, it is an institution which is an instrument to create brotherhood of mankind. It is a service to Humanity. It is undertaken with a sense of humility. It is a service; It is a divine service.

With this background I suggest that in english ‘Guru ka Langar’ be translated as ‘Divine’s Meals Service’.

Living in this relative world I know this term will get improved upon and i will be happy to read better terms which convey the meaning in true sense

May 5, 2008 at 1:38 pm

(6) Gurbanivichar says:

Guru Piaray Amarpal Singh Jeo has appropriately suggested the words which should be written in brackets to communicate what is Guru Ka Langar at least to start with.

May 5, 2008 at 1:57 pm

(7) gurbanivichar says:

Here is a visual for Guru Ka Langar
http://gursikhan.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/gurukalangar.jpg

Please suggest improvements.

May 5, 2008 at 2:30 pm

(8) Sukhmandir Kaur says:

I find your visual guide very instructive and comprehensive. I really like the pictures especially of all the roti being made! Thank you for sharing. May we truly evolve to the stage where naam becomes our sustenance.