What the langar is used for

This is further information to support pages 16-17 of Sikh gurdwara

History of the langar

The langar has been a Sikh institution since the founding of the faith. Its purpose is to remove distinctions of caste and creed and to develop the spirit of discipline and service and the will to give away something in the cause of religion and humanity.

When the langar was begun, members of different castes and religions in India would never sit down together to eat, and it was also very rare for members of one caste or religion to serve food to another. So, the lanagar was meant to be an example of how, in Sikhism, everyone is equal.

Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, wrote that all Sikhs should: Earn your living by labour, share it with others, and repeat the name of Almighty.

Thus giving away a part of one's earnings in the service of others is an important part of SIkhism. During his lifetime, any visitor who came to see Guru Nanak and listen to his hymns brought some food as an offering. When people came individually or in twos and threes, the Guru distributed the offerings among the poor, the needy and those present. When congregations became larger and more regular, Guru Nanak established a Langar or a free kitchen where the offerings were cooked and served to anyone present.

Wherever Guru Nanak went, he opened a langar. Every Sikh was expected to contribute liberally for the maintenance of Guru ka Langar. This could be done by making an offering of cash, food, personal labour (cooking, serving or cleaning). Guru Angad, the second Guru, had a langar in his house, where his wife Mata Khivi helped to cook and serve the food. She always served a sweet dish of rice-milk (kheer), a traditional food of Punjab, and this food is often served in the langar today.

The third Guru, Guru Amar Das, made a rule that every visitor must dine in the Langar before seeing him. When an emperor, Emperor Akbar, came to see the Guru, he was told that first he must eat with the common people in the langar

Today, wherever there is a gurdwara, there is a free Langar attached to it. Anyone who wants to can eat a meal in the langar.

Food in the langar

Freshly prepared vegetarian meals are served in the Langar. The food must be fresh and freshly prepared. Some foods served in the langar might be parshada (Roti bread), cooked vegetables, daal, khatta (yogurt), kheer (rice pudding cooked in sweetened milk), laddoos and jalebis (sweets). Cooking and serving the food (and cleaning up) is done by volunteers called sevadars. Often, the volunteers sing hymn from the Guru while working in the gurdwara.