Langar
A Langar ( Punjabi : ਲੰਗਰ) refers to a free kitchen that is attached to the Gurdwaras of the Sikhs . The gathering of the eaters is also known as the pangat ( row ).
history
Langars were already common in 15th century India through religious movements such as the Sufi order and the Gorakhnath . Guru Nanak Dev also established such a kitchen in his home town of Kartarpur when his disciples reached a corresponding number. Since the Langars were seen by him as an elementary part of the community, they were opened at every new place where a Sikh community (Panth) was founded. Since the Sikhs have had their own meeting rooms, the kitchens have been an integral part of it.
organization
Right from the start, the langars were financed by taxes (in cash or in kind), which in the past and now are voluntary. Today it is customary to collect the donations in a box (golak) at the entrance of the Gurdwaras.
The meals are prepared by members of the community as a voluntary service ( seva ) and later distributed to all those present (including pilgrims and guests).
target
Eating together should be a sign of the equality of all people, since no distinction is made between the financial or social status of the people at the meal. This principle can be experienced when the participants sit next to each other, sitting in rows on the floor, eating their meals. This is a step to drive the caste system out of people's minds and to show the equality of people before God. This also applies to religious boundaries. Particularly in areas where there is at least some caste system, the table community is a message to the environment, and at the same time a demarcation from the caste system.
literature
- Mandair, A., Sikhism. A guide for the perplexed, London 2013.
- Sikh Missionary College (Hg), Sikhism, Halle.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mandair, A., Sikhism. A Guide for the perplexed, London 2013, p. 25.