Langar: The Challenges and Triumphs of Running a Community Kitchen in Sis Ganj Gurdwara, Delhi

Abstract:

Academic research has been concentrated mainly on the role of NGOs and the government in relief measures during COVID-19, demonetisation, natural calamities, political instability, etc. Often, the literary works have been fixated on the philosophical aspect of the religious study of Langar in Sikh culture, which is important to study, but no specific importance has been given to its societal impact or its management, which are both very noticeably important in order to understand its true impact. There has been no mention of the Sikh religion’s contribution to serving langar throughout the trying times, especially when these free kitchens were turned into professionally managed ‘Free Food Management Centres’ and ensured food supply to the people impacted by the pandemic and other difficult times such as demonetisation, natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, etc. Another aspect, which is how these community kitchens are managed and what kind of monetary, psychological and emotional toll it takes on these gurdwaras, has also been missing in these academic studies. The research aims to study the psychological and emotional impact that is faced by the volunteers and langar managers in preserving this religious service by conducting thorough research on the management of langar in Sis Ganj Gurdwara in Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

Keywords:

Langar, charity, Sis Ganj Gurdwara, management, outreach activity

Citation: Gursimran Kaur Butalia (2023). Langar: The Challenges and Triumphs of Running a Community Kitchen in Sis Ganj Gurdwara, Delhi. Horizon J. Hum. Soc. Sci. Res. 5 (2), 111–120. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2023.v5.n2.id1213.p111