LANGAR
The Sikh Community KitchenEquality • Sharing • Community • Inclusiveness • Oneness of Humankind
What Is Langar
Guru Nanak, the first sikh guru started the concept of ‘Langar’. Guru Amardass, the third Sikh Guru, institutionalized this concept of sharing and caring. It is a process where Sikhs share their honest earnings to provide food for everyone –It was designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status, a revolutionary concept in the caste-ordered society of 16th-century India where Sikhism began. In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of langar expresses the ethics of sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness of all humankind. “…the Light of God is in all hearts. This is an important and integral part of Gurudwaras (Sikh place of worship). Wherever Sikhs are, they have established the langars for everyone. In their prayers, the Sikhs seek from the Almighty the favour: “Loh langar tapde rahin—may the hot plates of the langars remain ever in service.
“Loh langar tapde rahin”
— May the hot plates of the Langars remain ever in service.
DIVINE INSPIRATION
The concept of Langar is rooted in the Gurbani — the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. The following verse from the Guru Granth Sahib underpins the spiritual foundation of Langar, affirming that the Light of God is in all hearts and that all humanity springs from One Light:
aval aleh noor oupaaeiaa kudharath kae sabh bandhae |
eaek noor thae sabh jag oupajiaa koun bhalae ko mandhae |
First, Allah created the Light; then, by His Creative Power, He made all mortal beings.
From the One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is bad.
THE CORE VALUES OF LANGAR
| Value | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Equality | Everyone — regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status — sits together on the floor as equals. No one is ‘above’ anyone else. |
| Sharing | Sikhs share their honest earnings to fund the Langar. Food is donated, cooked and served entirely by the community for the community. |
| Community | The Langar brings people together. Cooking, serving and eating side by side builds bonds across all social and religious divides. |
| Inclusiveness | The Langar is open to all — people of every faith and background are welcome in the dining hall. No one is turned away. |
| Oneness of Humankind | Rooted in the Gurbani belief that all humanity springs from One Light, the Langar is a living expression of the unity of all people before God. |
THE GOLDEN TEMPLE LANGAR
The Langar at the Golden Temple is a living example of the Sikh faith’s rejection of the notion of caste. Once food is prepared, it is placed into smaller containers so volunteers can carry around the dining hall and serve. Everyone, regardless of faith and background, is allowed in the dining hall. Women, men and children all sit together. Before entering you must remove your shoes and wear a head covering. A traditional meal of lentils, rice, vegetables and roti is served. Everyone must sit on the floor as equals, so all people are on the same level and nobody is ‘above’ anyone else. There are two halls that can serve about 5,000 diners at a time.
40,000
Meals served daily
Up to 100,000 on holidays & weekends
450+
Kitchen staff
Plus hundreds of additional volunteers
7,000 kg
Wheat flour used per day
At the Golden Temple alone
25,000
Rotis baked per hour
Via the automatic roti machine
1,300 kg
Lentils cooked daily
Along with 1,200 kg rice & 500 kg ghee
300,000
Plates washed every day
Spoons and bowls included
◆ Rules for Dining
The Langar follows a simple set of customs that reinforce its core message of equality and humility. These are not bureaucratic rules but expressions of respect — for God, for the Guru, and for one another:
- Remove your shoes before entering the dining hall.
- Wear a head covering as a sign of respect.
- Sit on the floor alongside all other diners — no chairs, no raised tables.
- Everyone is served the same food, regardless of who they are.
- The meal is entirely vegetarian to ensure it is acceptable to people of all faiths.
- The Langar is free of charge — no payment is ever accepted or expected.
LANGAR BEYOND THE GURUDWARA
The spirit of Langar extends far beyond the walls of the Gurudwara. There are many Sikh Langar Seva International Aid and Disaster Relief teams which have been present at major disasters around the world to provide Langar to victims of catastrophe.
✅ LANGAR IN DISASTER RELIEF Sikh relief teams deploy Langar kitchens at disaster sites worldwide, providing free food, survival kits, temporary shelter and medical supplies to those in need — regardless of the victims’ religion, nationality or background. The same values of equality and service that drive the Gurudwara kitchen drive the relief effort.
This global expression of the Langar tradition demonstrates that the Sikh commitment to feeding the hungry and serving humanity is not limited to places of worship — it goes wherever it is needed most.
