History of Langar :
When the first Sikh guru Nanak Dev attained manhood, his father gave him 20 rupees and sent him on a trading expedition, impressing upon him that a good bargain makes for a good profit. On his way to buy merchandise, he met a group of sadhus living in a jungle. Nanak noticed the emaciated condition of the naked holy men and decided that the most profitable transaction he could make with his father's money would be to feed and clothe them. When he returned home empty handed, his father punished him. Insisting that true profit is to be had in selfless service, Guru Nanak established the principal of Gur ka langar.Tradition of Langar:
Where ever the gurus traveled or held court, people gathered for divine discourse. Mata Khivi, wife of Angad Dev the second guru, made sure to provide langar, participating in the service of distribution. Communal contributions and combined efforts of the people helped to organize the guru’s free kitchen based on the principals of:
- Kirat karo – Earning by means of earnest, honest efforts and endeavors.
- Vand chakko – Sharing of earnings and resources such as foodstuffs or other goods, and by serving others.
- Naam japna – Remembering the name of God at all times whether cooking, distributing langar, or doing cleanup.
Institution of Langar:
Amar Das the third guru formalized the institution of langar, the guru’s free kitchen, uniting the Sikhs by establishing two key concepts:
- Pangat – One family compiled of all of humanity, regardless of caste, color, or creed, sitting together cross legged in lines, forming rows without discrimination or consideration of rank or position.
- Sangat – The ennobling influence of people, who aspire to truthful living, and congregate with like-minded company for the purpose of uttering the name of one God in the presence of Siri Guru Granth Sahib.
Langar Hall:
Every gurdwara no matter how humble, or how lavishly elegant, has a langar institution. Any Sikh service, whether held indoors or out, has an area set aside for the preparation and service of langar which is either screened or detached from the place of worship. Whether prepared in an open air kitchen, a partitioned area of a home, or the facility of an elaborate gurdwara complex set up to serve thousands, langar has distinctly separate areas for:
- Storage of provisions.
- Storage of service utensils.
- Preparation and cooking.
- Service of prepared food.
- Sitting place to dine.
- Washing of used utensils.
- Disposal of waste.
Example of Langar Seva:
The gurus free kitchen profits in feeding both the body and the spirit of the soul. Seva is the Sikh word used to mean voluntary, selfless service, without compensation. Every day tens of thousands of people visit Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple in Amritsar India. Each and every visitor is welcome to partake of langar from the guru’s free kitchen. Langar is always completely vegetarian, no eggs, fish, or meat of any kind is served. The cost of the langar is covered completely by voluntary contributions from the sangat, the members of the congregation.
Sevadars are volunteers responsible for all seva of food preparation who:
- Mix dough in machines needed for the estimated 50,000 roti served daily.
- Roll out and cook each individual roti, a flat unleavened bread, over hot iron plates by hand.
- Cut and fry onions, spices, and vegetables for subji and boil dhal.
- Distribut food to sangat who dine, sitting side by side, in the rows of langar lines.
- Wash thousands of steel plates and spoons, take care of the disposal of all waste, and perform the cleanup of the langar facility.
