Communal kitchen at the Golden Temple

Having said that, I will talk about the kitchen here, as I don't intend to eat there tomorrow, either. Langar at the Golden Temple is a free community kitchen called Guru Ram Das Langar. It is open to all people — rich or poor, from any religion or country — and serves simple, vegetarian food at no cost.

Named after the 4th Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji, the langar follows the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and was organized by Guru Amar Das Ji, the 3rd Guru. The idea is to promote equality, humility, and selfless service (seva). Today, it is the largest free kitchen in the world, feeding over 100,000 people every single day — all seated on the floor together, showing that no one is higher or lower in the eyes of God. The Langar Hall is open 24 hours — all day and night. Food is always being cooked and served. You can come anytime and have a free meal. If you want to avoid the crowd, try going early in the morning (3 AM to 6 AM) or in the afternoon (3 PM to 5 PM). All food is vegetarian, simple, and healthy. It’s made fresh many times a day. You can have as much as you want, but you MUST clear your plate. No food should be wasted.

Feeding so many people is a huge operation. There are two big kitchens working all the time. Food is made in massive pots by volunteers (called sewadars). There are no paid staff. For really busy times, or when there are not enough volunteers, there is also a chapati-making machine that works automatically. About 5,000 people can eat at one time. All visitors to the temple are encouraged to give a cash donation towards the running of the Langar.Read more