Chairs And Tables At Gurudwara Langar Halls

[Singh97]

I'm from Ontario and I went to Vancouver a few days ago while I was there at a Gurudwara in Surrey I saw chairs and Tables in the Langar Hall. I'm 14 and I asked my cousin who is 20 if it was allowed in Sikhi and he said there was no problem with it. I just want to ask your opinion on this, is it wrong or is there no problem.

[waheguru12345]

it is against the maryada started by guru amardas ji

[BA51NGH]

HUkamnamma Issued stated no chairs/tables

Manmut activities ....

[S1ngh]

simranpreet singh,

Our guru jee started langar on floor for many reasons but main known reason is about equality. If you see important events such as games, shows, celebrity hosted events and in airlines etc you see they have different style of seating arrangement. Everything is divided into class system. They have luxury box for upper rich class during baseball games while plastic seats for working class.

Our guru sahib maybe lived several hundred years ago which was different world back then but their practical teachings and maryada/rehits (code) validity never expires.

Langar needs to be eaten while on floor because equality is being put in practice. All rich/poor, different races, nationality becomes ONE when they enter Gurdwara (Gurus house).

If you want to know anything specific or if you have any other questions, feel free to post it here

[HDSH]

I told someone that equality was the reason we should eat langar sitting on the floor and they asked, in a very respectful manner, "well if everyoneo sits on the table and chair even then they are all sitting on the same level so equality is maintained"

How would this question be answered.

[innergear]

Wasnt dis hukam4 the gurdwars dat wer fightinOva it. The rest wz no prob 4dem- Yeh so we shdnt be thinkin they bad 4havin a table! All ramgara hav tablz no?

[chatanga]

I told someone that equality was the reason we should eat langar sitting on the floor and they asked, in a very respectful manner, "well if everyoneo sits on the table and chair even then they are all sitting on the same level so equality is maintained"

How would this question be answered.

Equality is a poor answer to the original question, the act of sitting on the floor is one of humility, like a slave sits on the floor of his masters house not just to eat, but even to listen to instruction from his master as well.

Equallity can be sitting on the floor, sitting on equal-level chairs. But humility is sitting at the lowest level, on the floor.

[hardeeps1ngh]

I was surprised and overwhelmed to see tables and chairs taken away from Hayes Gurudwara at Golden Crescent. There were only a couple of tables and chairs for elderly and disabled. After a couple of weeks, its the same old story again. Chairs are back

[Ek0sikh]

langar was started for two things- open/free community kitchen, making all equal.

if you are young and have no issues in sitting on the floor then sit on the floor.

if you are old, can't bend or disabled people, use chairs. no problem ji.

by the way langar is simple food NOT fine dining. too many sabjis, sweets is distorting the shape and thought of langar. "swad"of different things is making it loose the appeal behind the whole concept.

[luckysingh99]

I told someone that equality was the reason we should eat langar sitting on the floor and they asked, in a very respectful manner, "well if everyoneo sits on the table and chair even then they are all sitting on the same level so equality is maintained"

How would this question be answered.

You have a very strong point.This is an argument that most gurdwaras tried to use previously.

I'm in North America now and have seen a huge variance in this matter across Canada and US.

Back in UK, many years ago ,-ALL gurdwaras had chairs and tables, NOBODY sat on the floor.

Apparently Akaal Takht got involved and made the requirement that all should sit on the floor.

Now, the gurdwaras all started to deal with it differently. I noticed that in UK some gurdwaras had the langar hall on the same level as the 'bir' ie.not on a seperate floor. -These were the 1st to get rid of the tables, since you would be sitting on the floor inside, then walk out and sit on a chair while the Granth Sahib remains on the same level. It made sense for these gurdwaras to abolish the chairs and tables as this disrespect to Guruji.

Then we had many Gurdwaras that had the langar hall below or on a separate floor below the 'birh'- these committees felt it was OK to carry on since the Granth Sahib was above- fair enough,no disrespect.

NOTE- at this time there were not 2 options such as you either sat on floor or table as you wish. EVERYBODY sat on chairs n tables.

Then there was the other gurdwaras like the original smethwick, that had langar hall in different building to Granth Sahib. These commitees felt it was ok to carry on as they were, as they were NOT offending Guru Ji in any way.

A few years past like this, but people could not fully understand why the difference.Thus, sangat became too choosy over which Gurdwaras to have weddings and akhand paths etc....AND certain gurdwaras started becoming more popular. Then the gurdwaras finally ALL agreed with exception of a few that they will ABOLISH all chairs and tables except a few for elderly/disabled.

This is how it has been ever since.

Generally, now majority of the gurdwaras in the west do not have seating, In UK, US and Vancouver only a few have chairs/tables, like the one the person attended. That is NOT how they all are in Surrey or Vancouver. It varies across the board.

In my opinion as long as everyone is equal and on the same level and there is no disrespect to the Granth Sahib, then it is fine by me wether chairs or floorr seating.