Popular Post BhForce Posted May 2, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 11 hours ago, jkvlondon said: point of langar was to keep body and soul together i.e. provide necessary nourishment for the traveller or poor. 6 hours ago, Sukhvirk1976 said: Wow.. Is that really the point of Guru ka langar? Your suggesting the point of sitting down and breaking bread or serving someone, rejecting caste boundaries didn't have anything to do with it? Wow.. I didn't think that I'd be saying this, but I think I agree with Sukhvirk. I believe that it is true that part of the motivation for langar was breaking barriers. Some people say that only poor people should eat in langar, but then how would the rich man learn humility and brotherhood with the poor man? It is said that when Nasser (leader of Egypt) visited the langar at Amritsar, he was amazed at the fact of rich and poor all eating on the floor, and he gave all his money in his wallet as an offering. It doesn't have the same effect when langar is only for poor people. In fact, I think one certain way to kill off the institution of langar would be to announce that only poor people will be able to eat langar henceforth. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkvlondon Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 8 hours ago, Sukhvirk1976 said: Wow.. Is that really the point of Guru ka langar? Your suggesting the point of sitting down and breaking bread or serving someone, rejecting caste boundaries didn't have anything to do with it? in the old days people had to travel for days to get to dharamshaley so what I said was the primary functions , remember gurdwarey also put people up for free too . I am not discounting sewa or equality aspects but the meaning of the food . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkvlondon Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 10 hours ago, BhForce said: Although the reason that we Sikhs don't discriminate in langar is because we see God in all, both of you are right that there are legitimate questions in regard to that. The way that some Hindus think that Sikhs are just a free food service is very infuriating. Guru Amar Das ji's idea of langar was "Pehle pangat, pache sangat" (First langar, and then congregation). But some (many/most?) Hindus these days just come eat the free food, never sit in sangat to listen to Guru's philosophy, remain mired in their idol-worshiping muck, and to add insult to injury, they have the gall to berate us for supposed faults in the food or service. Do you think that we should refuse non-Sikhs at the door? Or maybe institute a policy of "Pehle sangat, piche pangat"? maybe encourage pangat visiters to do active sewa in the pangat at least so it's not totally onesided and there is a chance for them to develop some nimrata. I watched a TV program recently where an Italian chef travelled to Amritsar and wanted to see Darbar Sahib guess who he was shown around by , yep the Hindus(middle class) when he asked them why do you go if you don't believe in sikhism they kind of of ehmmed and ahhed then said we are not stopped by anyone as it is open to everyone . Granted they did some langar sewa (peeling potatoes and onions) but they could not say anything apart from when langar time opens, and the times . So he went and asked sewadars more details about how they work out spices and salt without tasting etc. He was blown away by the quantities , the cleanliness, the efficiency , the taste , the sewa, the feeling of community which was zero commented on by his friends. So much so he wanted to buy supplies to donate, he bought a sack of rice and surprise surprise when he reached the langar storehouse there was one singh doing the receipts and a pandit sitting there doing jack (my husband was kind of surprised too) . what is going on are we so pushed back that hindus can traipse in and act like they own the joint ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InderjitS Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 The choice is present, no one is forcing them to drink tea and we do not want to go down the road of reading labels, calorie counting and so on. What next ban kheer to satisfy the health conscious or those with health conditions or alter the equal ingredients in Degh, do we think people questioned Mata Khivi when she distributed Kheer as per Balwand?? The correct terms I believe for small quantities of Degh is 'savaia' and for more 'gehra gapha'. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkvlondon Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 4 hours ago, InderjitS said: The choice is present, no one is forcing them to drink tea and we do not want to go down the road of reading labels, calorie counting and so on. What next ban kheer to satisfy the health conscious or those with health conditions or alter the equal ingredients in Degh, do we think people questioned Mata Khivi when she distributed Kheer as per Balwand?? The correct terms I believe for small quantities of Degh is 'savaia' and for more 'gehra gapha'. given that we are supposed to make people comfortable physically enough to sit and concentrate on kirtan and bhagti not so sleepy they fall asleep , the rich foods like fried stuff, pickles (which is kind of insulting the prashad aspect of langar, we don't put sweeties and sauces on karah ). Kheer is a tradition that is long-standing and not threatening to people with gluten problems . We should be aware of allergies and try to make food allergen free or offer alternatives for those in need (like the plain rice I suggested) . The gratitude is gone and that is the main problem , too much choice so , that much nakarey, keep it simple , do it well and healthy and it's a win win ... Another problem to consider: Disposing of left over langar is usually a hassle that most gurdwarey don't want to deal with so throw it into the garbage disposal unit ... and that used frying oil is another bigger problem to get rid of responsibly . Can't pour it into the sewage system as it will cause fatbergs . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singh1989 Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 Maybe they're diabetic? And Langar IS meant to be consumed whenever one desires. Ashame people give other dirty looks when they realise/ see others eat langar ALL 7 DAYS! It appears only Giani Ji's get away from dirty looks by pulling a feat of being in langar everyday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkvlondon Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 People forget that even Guru Arjan Dev ji told off Bhai Manjh ji for eating from the langar ... it is not meant for people to take for granted but to see as kirpa ... Guru ji themselves earned their own kirat di kamai rather than just eating from the sangat... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkvlondon Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 3 minutes ago, Preeet said: Vaheguru ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru ji Ki Fateh, ji Lol didn't he tell him off because Bhai Manjh ji was currently in a khatan pariksha so that he can be blessed with Sikhi??How can that be applied today, considering Bhai Manjh ji's wish was that our Sri Satguru ji should not test people that difficultly.. It was all a test, if I remember correctly. Bhull chukk maf kijye. Vaheguru ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru ji Ki Fateh point he was making was don't just take it as given but still do what all sikhs are expected to do 1 kirt karo,2. vand chako, 3.naam japo . Bhai Manjh ji was trying to become a sikh but Guru ji wanted him to follow rehit . Even our Guru ji's led by example by earning through commerce or farming instead of being like aj kal de babey getting fat on golak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not2Cool2Argue Posted May 3, 2017 Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 If we made langar simple almost tasteless, then all the problems will be solved. Less waste, less OTT chili spices , and less ppl abusing the system cuz food is not that good. It will be healthier, we can say no mixing of ingredients. Totally ban dairy except in degh and kheer and chah., so vegans, gluten free can eat. Always have rice and daal and kheer and chaah if possible. Also only poor ppl will want to eat then those with majboori. Also we taksalis were always taught that if u eat too much langar its bad. Not only does ur paath n sewa get used up, but u get a share of the dukh of person doing langar. For example if someone did ardaas that my cancer go away and does langar for it, then everyone who ate langar will get small benign tumor. Basically the dukh of that person is shared among the sangat in small parts so it becomes bearable to all. However then we were told that this is only rumors, hoe can gurus langar be bad. But i think taksalis r smart. They spread that to stop their students from overeating at langars. Whether true or not, it works. So spread this everywhere and ppl might stop abusing. Esp send.it to the hindus, with their idols n black magic they should have no problem believing it 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akalifauj Posted May 3, 2017 Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 People can come and consume langar without judgement of how much they eat. The problem rises when people don't consume all the langar they had put in their plate and throw it out. Also another food waste is when someone does Langar and their is leftovers. The leftovers could be served the next morning. But the person doing langar on the next morning doesnt use the night before langar. Instead they expect the family who did it the night before to throw it away and they will cook their own langar. There is no common sense. when it comes to the actual meaning of doing langar, serving the sangat. The family holds up walls fully engaged in gossip. Serving the sangat is not easy and they get lazy thinking the sangat will come to them to get more langar. People who are doing the langar need to drop their lazy attitudes and serve the sangat. This means going up and down the lines of the seated sangat and asking if they need anything else. This also goes for the sangat. Stop being lazy and serve the langar or help in a different way by cleaning dishes or help moving oversized pots. There can never be enough servers in the Guru's langar. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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