What Our Gurdwaras Have Become

[Mehtab Singh]

And then once in a while I have the usual clean-shaven illiterate alcoholics who come upto me and ask "hor pandit jee kee haal aa"

[Jonny101]

It is possible to serve just above the thaal even if someone comes back for seconds without making contact. Pouring dhaal slowly is a must as it prevents splashes and those who do need more should be told to hold their thaal a little behind and not directly over the containers.

Langar Maryada faces massive dhills. Jhooth is prevalent not only when serving but also when washing dishes and preparing Langar .Sevadaars are not taught how to keep sucham and unfortunately the majority are not presented with or understand guidelines by Gurdwaras. There is more sucham in food factories.

When I was younger I remember the sevadaars would clean the entire kitchen thoroughly before preparing food, then some whilst cooking would cover their mouths with a hazooria and perform simran or paath. Gone are those days in most Gurdwarey.

Yes, dhaal or which ever Sabji can be served just above the thaali but it should never make contact with the thaali itself. Yeah I remember those good old days too. Even in India there is massive dhil in the Langar Maryadha as compared to 10 years 15 years ago. But in the west the langar maryadha is even worse.

[ks55]

Imagine how much you could feed the homeless if all western world Gurdwaras only stick to one dal or one sabjee in langar that is all.

[ghettosikh]

I think that this is just done to attract more people i see nothing wrong with it but if people are coming in only when these items are being offered or going straight to the langar hall upon arrival than i think we have a problem. In calgary our main Gurdwara Damesh Cultural Centre also offers pizza and i think its more of a treat for kids but even then we do have ppl who only come for the food which is a shame

[proactive]

Personally I don't think anything wrong in serving Veg. Piza / French Fries, but 1 hour simran should be mandated before serving Pizza .

Aren't you then making Simran a chore rather than a blessing? Do you really think that people are solely there for the pizza and chips when they could easily get these at a local Iceland store for a few quid? I think we need to praise the Gurdwaras who are showing foresight to get as many people there as possible. Even if people are going there solely for the Pizza and Chips then by just going to the Gurdwara it should bring some change in their lives. Just hearing Kirtan or Katha while eating is likely to have more of an impact than being forced to sit in the dewan hall for an hour with their stomachs rumbling salivating over the pizza and chips to come.

[jasdeepsingh2k125]

giga lol

tera lol

[S1ngh]

I simply hate pizza and other stuff being brought up or cooked in langar halls. There is gurdwara in Fresno where one day of gurdwara is now commonly known as pizza day. People now say pizza khan Jana.

We need to break away from concept of luring sangat to gurdwara with trendy baits. Simple dhaal, parshada is good enough for Sikhs.

[S1ngh]

Further I add:

1. Fat free milk

2. Limit use of ghee or oil/Tarka or ban altogether (we never did tarka-fry our dhaal or sabzi like some 40 years ago). Ask ur grandparents.

3. No food with trans fat, saturated fat or other chemical genetic altering foot products. Grow our own vegetables organic way..

[DiscoverSikhism]

True. A while back I once saw a lady who while eating got up without washing her hands and put more food on her thaali with the joothe hands. I immediately went there and politely told the lady "Bibi Jee, your hands are not Suche and other Sangat still needs to eat food, so please do not render the Langar Jootha, if you want I will serve you langar". She immediately began to fight with me and made a scene there. She said "You Singhs are even surpassing the Brahmins in this type of thinking". A mona who was sitting near by also got up to support me and firmly told that lady that he needs to eat langar too and doesnt want her to make the langar jootha for him and the rest of the sangat either. When she saw the mona supporting me, then she went quiet and sat down to eat her food.

So many dhils in the Gurdwaras now days that it's unbelievable. If someone speaks up then they are attacked for speaking up.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Good for you to speak up and say something (and a mona supported you).

It seems the lady was angry at being caught out, rather than learn about and acknowledge her actions.

Some people cannot take comments positively, most of all, so called elders...

[N30S1NGH]

I think lack of naam vibration or naam simran during making langar/serving langar should be our main concern. If we can address that first, then suchum concept will follow, suchum concept should be upheld with naam first. Without naam or its vibrations in the langar, suchum is just raw concept will eventually fall into karam kaand/dogmatic empty ritual- imagine if someone were to prepare amrit with sucham concept only without reading five banis...?. We need naam and its vibrations first then other concept should follow.