Roundtable
The Gift of Langar
The Roundtable Open Forum - Jan 27 - Feb 2
EDITOR
The Rules of the forum are posted here on the right, and need to be followed strictly by all participants.
The following is this week's (Jan 27 - Feb 2) topic for discussion, which should focus on the questions posed therein:
THE GIFT OF LANGAR
1 Our Gurus have told us unequivocally and emphatically that prayer, without service to humanity, is of no avail; that simran and seva (selfless service to those in need) must go hand in hand in our service to God.
2 The concept of Langar, therefore, is one of the greatest gifts given to us: whereby we feed the hungry - with no questions asked about anything, including affiliation, orientation, background, need or ability; no payment is expected or accepted. And all the work is to be done through volunteer, unpaid seva, with nothing whatsoever in return!
3 There is no purer institution in the world. It is tied to no preachers or proselytizers; it brings no tax benefits or deductions; no billboards proclaim piety, sacrifice or righteousness.
4 The latest instance - of our youth rushing off to Haiti to feed the helpless victims of the recent tragedy, and of the community supporting the project all the way - is but an ideal example of the concept of langar being practiced at its very best.
5 However, for many reasons, the institution of langar today has become a secondary one amongst many congregations in the diaspora. More significantly, we seem to have neglected our Sikh duty to feed the poor and the homeless - probably because we have, as immigrants, been preoccupied with survival and settling down in our new homelands; and the needy in western communities are not as visible.
6 With the affluence that our community enjoys everywhere, there is no excuse for not being Kanhayyias in every village, town and city in every country - after all, we flourish everywhere and liberally enjoy the fruits of life! - at any and every time there are hungry, homeless and needy amidst us.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- Is it possible to do regular langar seva outside the gurdwara - in addition to the langar that runs in our places of worship all the time - and reach out to those in need?
- Does your local community do such seva? Who are the sevadaars - that is, how are they selected, or how does the project get going? When? Why? How often?
- Who are the beneficiaries of such langars?
- How is it received?
- Is it possible for each gurdwara and local community to get into such projects in their neighbourhood? Is there a template?
- Should they? Why should they? Or why shouldn't they? What has been your experience?
- Do you have any advice or guidance for those who would like to do this seva?
Conversation about this article
1: Gurmeet Kaur (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.), January 27, 2010, 11:34 AM.
A beautiful topic close to my heart! I had a chance to share my thoughts a few years ago. http://www.sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=500&cat=12 Sikhcess, United Sikhs and many other organizations in the Diaspora have taken concrete steps to restore the original intent and sanctity of langar. Our own local gurdwara seva in Roswell, Georgia, has made it a bi-monthly affair to feed the hungry at a local homeless shelter since the last gurpurab of Guru Nanak. We cooked simple meals of rice and curried vegetables and brought fruits and granola as snacks. The curry was much appreciated. We plan on serving black beans, rice and sauteed veggies next time. It takes 5-10 volunteers to do it each time and since the langar is simple, it is economical. We have fed 300-400 people each time and shared the message of peace and love that Guru Nanak taught us with our less fortunate brothers and sisters. The volunteers are mostly young professionals and some youth. It has been such a wonderful experience that we plan to continue as a regular seva. Oh, by the way, we also eat with them there - in the true spirit of langar, talk with them and share our smiles and stories.
2: Harinder (Bangalore, India), January 27, 2010, 12:42 PM.
The question is: does Langar include only the task of satisfying the hunger for food or is it also a place where people of all faiths, races, nations, etc., can sit and and be fed on things of a divine nature? After all the hunger for the divine is inbuilt in all homo sapiens.
3: Bicky Singh (Ontario, Canada), January 27, 2010, 1:11 PM.
Having a langar that is outside of and not affiliated with a gurdwara and setup for those in need is exactly the essence of langar - especially since our community is affluent wherever it has settled. Some may say, "Why not have needy people come to the gurdwara to get their food?". This may seem that they need to participate in the religious activities or to give up their current beliefs. I think that each gurdwara should contribute a certain portion of their income towards helping out local foodbanks. Or, better yet, have the sangat donate food on a regular basis at the gurdwara for providing to the food bank. Rather than just having food drives on auspicious days, this should be a year-round event. This will really underscore the concept of langar and help to build bonds within the larger community.
4: T. Sher Singh (Guelph, Ontario, Canada), January 27, 2010, 3:25 PM.
I'm intrigued by the question posed by Harinder because I too have struggled with it in the past. My sense is that one of the many ways Sikhi is distinctly different from all other faiths and religions is that seva (selfless public service) in Sikhi DOES NOT consist of preaching to others; nor does either luring or dragging them to your fold. Such a motivation taints the seva and does nothing but prostitute one's beliefs for the selfish goal of winning personal spiritual brownie points for oneself. The two realms of human life - the worldly, human, temporal one ... and the spiritual one ... are recognized in Sikhi as being dichotomous and separate - Miri and Piri - in this regard. We serve others who cannot fend for themselves, in their worldly needs. We do not take advantage of their vulnerability while we are doing so; nor do we extract a price before, during or after we are done. We serve them and we walk away, without reward or payback of any kind. As far as spiritual needs go, our mission in life as Sikhs is to work on ourselves, on mastering our own ego and conquering the Five Vices within us, on addressing our own failings, on our own personal spiritual journey. Just as we cannot go on this journey by proxy, neither can others benefit from our intervention. The desire to preach and pontificate and proselytize and convert represents the worst in egocentricity - we are warned by our Guru of the temptation to do so as soon as we make the slightest progress in our spiritual journey, and advised to not succumb to it. Otherwise, we are told, you have fallen off the bus long before the end of your journey. Therefore, in answer to Harinder's question, I believe there is no greater seva than feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, defending the weak, and giving a voice to the voiceless! As imperfect beings, we can certainly help others in their worldly needs, but ... as imperfect beings, in terms of our spiritual life, our plate is full with working on ourselves. It would too arrogant to assume that we are ready to TEACH or GUIDE others!
5: Gurcharan and Navi (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.), January 28, 2010, 12:54 AM.
Langar seva is an integral part of being a Sikh and has played an important role as we raised our family here. Some years ago, in addition to the langar seva, we looked into doing seva for those in need in the community at large. After some looking around, we found a hospice in town, run by a church that served a hot lunch every day to 300+ people. Men of all faiths are welcome. We spoke with the folks at the hospice and the church sponsors about Sikhism and the importance of langar seva in Sikhi. They welcomed us and so we started serving hot lunch once a week to 300+ people. At noon, the men and women line up to get served, some who have little work, some with physical disabilities and several even homeless. We make it a point to serve each one with a smile, a good wish, acknowledging the light of God in one and all. Many smile back, some giving us a blessing in return and a few say how blessed they are to get a hot lunch. We had embarked on this idea of seva to give in this way to those in need. What we have realized is that we got so much more in return. It continues to be a wonderful journey, all because of our rich heritage of langar seva and our desire as Sikhs to be of service to others in need.
6: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), January 28, 2010, 8:20 AM.
Originally the idea of of langar may well have arisen from three basics: 1) To shatter the barriers of caste where the high and low would not be caught dead next to each other, much less break bread together; 2) Many of the visitors trekked long distances to come to the Gurus and they had to be fed; and 3) There were few, if any, facilities like 'soup kitchens' to feed the needy. Realities are different now. For instance, many organizations, including United Sikhs, now step into the void in disasters like the earthquake in Haiti. Obviously we need to take the langar to the needy, not wait for them to come to the gurdwara. But there is another disturbing but growing trend. In gurdwaras near me, the langar is often catered and unnecessarily elaborate. Sometimes, a few from the sangat help in the cooking and serving but reluctantly and only if it is sponsored by a friend or a relative. The few volunteers get stuck in a hot kitchen for hours. I thought if, by announcements and sermons, this expectation was hammered home: Every able-bodied Sikh should serve in the langar for at least 10 minutes on arrival. Chop onions if that is the task at your arrival time; if langar is being served then do that. There should then be a line of sangat members waiting to contribute their 10 minutes. Results: the menu will become simpler; no one will get caught at a hot stove for hours, and everyone who partakes of the meal will feel that he/she has contributed to the effort. And 10 minutes, or even less, is hardly onerous. I suggested this to our management but no one would bite. Ours is a fairly affluent community and catering seems to fit their image better.
7: I.J. Singh (New York, U.S.A.), January 28, 2010, 1:17 PM.
I started with three basics to Langar. That, I see, is too dry and intellectual an approach. I should have added a fourth basic - seva. Participation in seva is a powerfully transformational experience that transcends the intellect or, better yet, merges the intellectual with the transcendent inner core of the self. It has to be experienced and lived, not just talked about, that is why it is so intricately and inseparably bound to Sikh traditions and practices.
8: Chintan Singh (San Jose, California, U.S.A.), January 28, 2010, 7:02 PM.
I love Dr. I.J. Singh's suggestion of every sangat member giving 10 minutes to langar seva. I will try to practice it on myself, without venturing into suggesting it to the committee - Like T. Sher Singh says, I better keep my plate full with working on myself for this one.
9: Harbans Lal (Arlington, Texas, U.S.A.), January 29, 2010, 2:32 AM.
The term langar is used in the Guru Granth to mean liberal and unrestricted distribution of the Gurmat knowledge. One way to do it so is described adequately and ably in the above postings. That consists of our public display of the Sikh tradition of sharing and serving. I like to complement those views by describing the other aspect of langar. Earlier, Harinder asked for this aspect. In the Guru Granth, langar is referred twice and each time it refers to the liberal dissemination and sharing of Guru's hymns with others. GGS:967 says, Langar of the Guru's Shabad is always on the go, as its supplies were gifted to never run short. Rather, the Sustainer God has amply stocked its supplies; the more you share, the more will it be replenished. Through langar, the wealth of life giving and spiritually nourishing nectar is distributed. The Guru Granth further says (p 968), the Guru spreads the Light to the entire world extending from sunrise to sunset in all continents. Those who do not serve the cause of the Guru in this way are selfish and they may perish in disgrace. It is a miracle of the Creator that the Light increases manifold when it is spread. These hymns are very revealing. Guru called attention to the universal fact that the Guru's message was meant to be for people in the four corners of the world. It was available without any distinction or prejudice throughout all places and to all nations. It is to be made available without any distinction or prejudice through all places and to all nations. Let the gate keepers of the Light not forget the tradition of this langar of the Guru.
10: Amardeep (U.S.A.), January 29, 2010, 3:52 PM.
Can someone with a broader vision put together T. Sher Singh's and Bhai Harbans Lal's comments about spiritual langar? To me, these comments appear to be pointing in opposite directions.
11: Mohan Singh Ahluwalia (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), January 30, 2010, 9:50 AM.
Spiritual langar is food for our soul, with shabad-kirtan or gurbani discourse to the sangat - also referred as satsang. This is then followed by food for our body which has been prepared by sevadaars. In real life, those engrossed in spiritual activity feel hungry for shabad-gurbani. In today's gurdwara, gurmat parchar has declined and deteriorated and the original terms - satsang or sadhsangat - have been changed to sangat. In today's gurdwara gatherings, you will hardly find 10% who belong to the true sadhsangat. However, still there is healthy langar, food for our tummy. It is a good idea if we feed the homeless, poor or needy outside the gurdwaras. It will certainly reflect the spirit of Sikhi.
12: Sanmeet Kaur (Brampton, Ontario, Canada), February 02, 2010, 12:34 PM.
This is the Guru's Langar. Guru Nanak attached a kitchen and langar services to his fields. Guru Amardas decreed that the sangat refresh themselves and meet him only after they have partaken in the langar. As Sardar I.J. Singh ji said, through this single master-stroke, the Guru abolished the caste system within our faith. It is difficult not to feel the Oneness when one is sitting next to a destitute, alms stretched to receive a parshada. The beauty of His Langar is that it is continuous: a selfless, incessant stream, a powerful symbol of the enduring Word of the Guru. Any gurdwara - home of the Guru - is inconceivable without His Langar. Someone once asked, "How do you all manage it, it's a logistical nightmare?" We don't. The Guru does. Ask the most seasoned sevadaar and she'll tell you that somehow things get done in the Guru's kitchen. The toughest cynic can't oppose this truth. I recall going to Nanded Sahib during Hola Mahalla. The ceaseless lines of sangat waiting to eat langar, the relentless sevadaars ... from seven am to midnight, they continuously served dinner. O, the trepidation with which I walked into the hall half past midnight, hungry again. It was practically empty, a strange and unsettling sight; save for three - two eating, one serving. They were just wrapping up and here I was. I was about to slip out when one of them beckoned me. I made an excuse about wanting only water and they made me sit down and fed me with such love. I looked at them, such happiness radiated from them. Never will I forget the taste of that dal-and-sukki-roti, the happy love with which I was served, and with which I ate and left that hall. It fills heart and soul, it replenishes both who serve and who are served. This is the Guru's Langar.
13: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, CT, U.S.A.), February 03, 2010, 7:59 AM.
Yes, Sanmeet, that is Guru's Langar - when both the person serving and the person receiving are filled with gratitude. The fragrance of the Guru fills the air and shukar, shukar, shukar resound, the tears flow - with gratitude for getting a glimpse into the true meaning of sitting together and sharing.
14: Roop Kaur (Melbourne, Australia), February 17, 2010, 7:02 PM.
I think langar is one of the key aspects of Sikhism. It demonstrates Sikhism's emphasis on equality amongst all. It's unfortunate that in most cases langar is generally only served within the gurdwara, even though the Gurus had intended it to be something available for all - Muslims, Hindus, etc. I think it really does need to be taken outside the gurdwara to the world at large, especially those in need. I absolutely loved Gurmeet Kaur's post on what her community's Sikh youth do - I'll definitely take that idea on board!