Universe: The spiritual significance of langar

How often is it that we travel and explore the world only to draw a line at exploring some local culinary experiences because they conflict with our preconceptions? Thus, we can’t make ourselves partake in what is a feast for the locals. Food taboos are among the hardest to break.

Guru Arjan Dev said: “Ek Pita Ekas Ke Hum Barik” — There is One Father and we are all His children (Guru Granth Sahib, p 187). Yet, breaking through the artificial stratification of humankind based on caste, creed, colour, gender, religion, region, etc, is even harder than overcoming food taboos. One of the ways the Gurus sought to bring their followers together was by making them sit together and eat. As we all know, breaking bread together is a widely accepted way of expressing fellowship among humans that has become a metaphor now.

We all know the Sacha Sauda story. Given money and tasked by his father to get goods which could be sold for profit, Guru Nanak met hungry holy men on the way to the town. He used the money to buy foodstuffs and clothes and fed the hungry men he had met, declaring that he found no bargain more profitable than to feed and clothe people in need. This is considered by many to be the first langar in the Sikh tradition.

There was a regular langar at Kartarpur, where he settled down in the evening of his life and built a community of the spiritually like-minded, composed Gurbani and lived with his family, attending to his worldly and spiritual duties, and encouraging his followers to do the same.

The devotees would sit together in a pangat (in rows) and all at the same level. The social symbolism was not lost on anyone. In this demonstrably egalitarian setting, they ate food prepared by volunteers among them, together.

The practice was continued at Khadur Sahib by Guru Angad Dev, with his wife, Mata Khivi, taking on the responsibility of expanding and systematising langar around the core practice of volunteers contributing towards cooking and serving food, and then eating it together. In Guru Granth Sahib, the bards Bhai Satta and Bhai Balwant record her dedication in glowing terms. In Ramkali ki Vaar (Guru Granth Sahib, p 966-968), they describe her as a virtuous woman whose “shade is very leafy”, i.e. abundant, alluding to her motherly nurturing that shelters the devotees. They say that amrit and ghee are distributed in the langar. The food served in the langar is thus shown as delicious and rich in flavours, served with a mother’s love towards her children. The status of langar beyond being a mere kitchen to serve food to devotees is evident in the importance the institution is being given here. Now what happens when Guru Amar Das becomes the third Guru. In Goindwal, which becomes the spiritual centre of the Sikhs, he makes it mandatory for anyone visiting him to first partake of langar, famously stating, “Pehle Pangat, Peechhay Sangat” (First eat in the langar, then sit in the congregation). This further solidified its role in promoting equality and humility.

The concept of serving food is prevalent in other traditions too. The word ‘langar’ itself can be traced back to the Sufis and the practice of feeding the poor and travellers in khanqahs. Bhandaras are very common on festival days and special occasions. In ancient Christianity, we had Agape (love) feasts shared by believers; now there are soup kitchens, the Jews have Tzedakah, and so on. The practice of feeding the poor is found in various traditions and cultures. However, the Gurus transformed it into a powerful demonstration of equality and selfless service that has survived, indeed thrived, for over five centuries.

For the physically hungry, the food at the langar fills the tummy and fulfils the needs of the body. For the volunteers who serve, the sewa they perform satiates the soul, which is, of course, the goal. No wonder, many of those who partake of langar move on to doing the dishes or performing other sewa. Their souls need fulfilment too. This is the spiritual significance of tradition.

— The writer is a senior journalist

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