By Benedict Lopez | Experience |
In Sikhism, a langar is the community kitchen of a gurdwara, which serves free meals to all irrespective of religion, caste, gender, social standing and ethnicity.
Despite the fact I have been to gurdwaras a few times and enjoyed their delicious vegetarian meals, I never had the chance to observe their operations until my recent visit to the Golden Temple [known as Darbar Sahib] in Amritsar.
I was kept spellbound through my visit to the langar at the Golden Temple observing the entire operations at the langgar. My friends and I spent more than an hour at the langar, including enjoying our very tasty and sumptuous meal.
We were briefed at every section of the langar by out tour guide on the roles and responsibilities of this amazing kitchen that feeds more than 100,000 visitors daily, including tourists like us.
After our mouth-watering meal, we went for a tour of the entire langar observing the workings of this immense kitchen that operates 24 hours a day for 365 days.
All the faithful and visitors to the Golden Temple or any gurdwara must cover their heads. Devotees and visitors to all gurudwaras all over the world are welcome for a free meal at the langar. Gurudwaras serve only vegetarian meals to accommodate the dietary restrictions of people of all walks of life.
How can I describe the langar? A tribute to humanity, a benchmark in efficiency, specialisation of labour and the personification of dedication of a community’s unyielding efforts serving the people of all races and religions with meals.
What better service to humanity can any community do than serving all devotees and visitors in such a big-hearted way!
I noticed all the staff working so assiduously to make sure all the devotees and visitors like us we fed generously. The speed at which all volunteers discharged their respective duties simply takes your breath away. Never have I seen community service displayed in such as admirable manner!
Specialisation of labour was conspicuous at the section where volunteers, mainly women are allocated different jobs-peeling and cutting onions, cutting chillies, garlic, ginger and a variety of vegetables. All the work was carried meticulously to clockwork precision. I was enthralled just watching these volunteers working so diligently.
Next, we proceeded to the area where capatis are made. Capatis moulded automatically by machines and are also made manually in the traditional manner. Reason: in case the machines breakdown or if there is a power cut, capatis are can still be made. I tried my skills making a few capatis but being a novice, the capatis I made revealed that I needed more training and experience.
Prior to departing the Golden Temple, we proceeded to the section making their tea or chah with its unique taste.
Even for a non-Sikh like me, I was moved by what I witnessed at the langar at the Golden Temple. To think a minority community can make such immense contributions in terms of personal service renders one speechless.
So, why are the majority communities all over the world continuously complaining about so many trivial issues, when a minority community like the Sikhs can take on a herculean task on a daily basis for twenty hours a day for seven days a week?
Even in Malaysia, the Sikh community answers the call of service by providing food during any emergency like the floods.
Kudos to the Sikhs who work so relentlessly serving not only members of their own faith but also visitors to their langar. Definitely a personification of humanity, efficiency and immense networking at its zenith.
Benedict Lopez, a social activist, was formerly a director of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) in Stockholm, Sweden, and economics councillor at the Malaysian embassy there from 2010 to 2014.
RELATED STORY:
My Spiritual Home (Asia Samachar, 20 March 2024)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
