Devotees open their hearts for Golden Temple langar
THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, SERVING MEALS TO THE NEEDY, RECEIVED DOUBLE QUANTITY OF WHEAT OFFERING THIS YEAR AS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
AMRITSAR : “We have never received such a large quantity of wheat crop earlier from the villagers during the rabi season at Sri Guru Ram Das Langar (community kitchen of Golden Temple) which is witnessing huge heaps of wheat bags offered by the sangat (community) from various parts of Punjab, with the grace of Guru Sahib”.
This was observation of one of the regular volunteers who serves the devotees in the langar, considered as the largest community kitchen in the world offering free food round-the-clock daily to the needy people.
Amid Covid-19 pandemic when many people have become jobless due to the lockdown, the Golden Temple langar has been feeding a large number of people, including stranded migrant workers.
On the other hand, collection of money offered by devotees has witnessed a drastic dip due to lockdown when very few devotees are able to pay obeisance at the holiest Sikh shrine.
The dip in collection had worried the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) as a sizeable portion of it is spent on serving langar (free food). However, the unprecedented response given by the devotees in the form of wheat and other grocery items have lessened the SGPC’s worries.
“Ever since the harvesting season has ended, tractortrailers, trucks and other vehicles, loaded with langar items, including wheat, are reaching the kitchen daily from the villages in large numbers,” said Sukhbir Singh, manager of the community kitchen.
“Wheat is the most consumed food item in the langar. Last year, around 34,000 quintal wheat flour was consumed in the langar and quantity of wheat grains offered by the sangat during the harvesting season last year was 13,000 quintals. However, nearly 26,000 quintal wheat has been offered by sangat so far this season. And the arrival is going on yet,” said SGPC chief secretary
Roop Singh. “Guru Ka Langar is run with the cooperation of sangat. As community kitchens of all gurdwaras are feeding the needy during the lockdown, the sangat is very enthusiastic to contribute to the service of humanity,” he added.
Kulbir Singh, granthi of a gurdwara in Dhadiala village of Hoshiarpur, who along with villagers came with 33 quintal wheat, said “In my living memory, residents of my village never brought so much wheat to the Golden Temple. Actually, some youths of my village asked all farmers to devote at least one wheat bag in view of the pandemic”.
Captain Tarlok Singh (retd) of Firoz Singh Wala in Kapurthala district and residents of Chak Allah Baksh village of Mukerian sub-division of Hoshiarpur also said that they have brought wheat and other grocery items for the first time.