Langar (Free Kitchen) - The Concept of Equality

This is the one place that make me interest to learn about Sikhism Philosophy, how in every Sikh Temple serve free food inside the "Langar" for all visitors (without distinction of background).

The institution of the Sikh langar, or free kitchen, was started by the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak. 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.

At the langar, only vegetarian food is served, to ensure that all people, regardless of their dietary restrictions, can eat as equals. Langar is open to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. 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.

Food is normally served twice a day, on every day of the year. At Golden temple nearly 100,000 people dine everyday and the kitchen works almost 20 hours daily.

Each week one or more families volunteer to provide and prepare the langar. This is very generous, as there may be several hundred people to feed, and caterers are not allowed. All the preparation, the cooking and the washing-up is also done by voluntary helpers, known as Sewadars.

Salute...!

I just thinking if, every kitchen in our home have same concept, im sure there is no hunger in the Earth...

So today, i try to join the breakfast time at Langar inside The Golden Temple, stand in a line with thousand of visitor, eat and sit together. Feel how equality are....

Neelam's Restaurant - Amritsar

After long journey from the border, we decide to feed our belly. We try walk around the market and find this small place under the big banner coca cola ad. Because we see "lonely planet" and "tripadvisor" logo in the door, we stop and have dinner here.

I order cauli flower and paneer curry with cold mango lassi. Standard taste, but the good service, many choice for vegetarian menu, clean place, good price and walkable from golden temple make "Neelam's" recomended Resto to visit while you are in Amritsar.

The address :
Golden Temple Road Amritsar.

Rangla Amritsar Dhaba - Vegetarian Resto in Amritsar

Yes, now is breakfast time. After spend an early walk around golden temple, im feel very hungry. Boring with hotel breakfast that give me coffee and french toast everyday, i try to walk around near the golden temple market to know what the local eat for breakfast.

The problem is in India they usualy eat heavy breakfast around 11 AM. So many resto there have complete menu after 11 AM. For start the day usualy they just drink "chai" and some bread or biscuit. This is very different with indonesian breakfast style. We start eat heavy food for breakfast at 7 AM - 8 AM. And in 1 PM we eat again the heavy food for lunch.

So after try and ask some resto, i find one place that have noodle and also serve vegetarian amritsari "kulcha" with very yummy taste at 8 AM :). Enough heavy to feed my belly. Rangla Amritsari Dhaba, just beside the cafe coffee day. I love kulcha, rich taste inside.

If you travel aroud amritsar you can try the kulcha there, the price is reasonable, friendly people and clean place inside :)

Here the address :
Chowk Phuwara - Opp. Marwari Mandir, Amritsar.