1. Langar Understand what Langar is and how it started/background
Analyse the ingredients of Langar

2. What is a Langar?
The Langar or FREE KITCHEN was started by the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
It is designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people of the world regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status “the Light of God is in all hearts." (ggs 282)

3. A True Trade
From a young age Guru Nanak was always giving away free food to anyone who wanted it. Many times he got into trouble with his parents for doing so. His parents were devout Hindus and were concerned that their son was mixing with people from the lower castes – this was unacceptable in society at the time.

4. Also …
Besides from the ideals of equality, the tradition of Langar expresses the ethics of :-
sharing
community
and oneness of all humankind...
Task:
What else could a Langer be an expression of….?
Inclusiveness
Worship
Helping the poor
Ridding humai (ego)
Keeping the faith
Practising the religion
Following in Guru Nanaks footsteps

5. Feeding the Sadhus Guru Nanak Dev Ji was given 20 Rupees to
go do some business
On the way, he met
hungry Sadhu’s
(holy men)
Spent money on
food and clothes
for them.
When Guru Nanak Dev ji were 12 years old his father gave him twenty rupees and asked him to do a business, apparently to teach him business. Guru Nanak dev ji bought food for all the money and distributed among saints, and poor. When his father asked him what happened to business? He replied that he had done a "True business" at the place where Guru Nanak had fed the poor. This site now has a Gurdwara on it called Sacha Sauda, which means true trade.
QUESTIONS FOR PUPILS ON NEXT SLIDE

6. Questions What was Guru Nanak Dev ji asked to do with the 20 rupees?
What did Guru Nanak Dev ji spend the money on?
Why do you think Mehta Kalu (Guru Nanaks father) was annoyed with Guru Nanak Dev ji?
What did Guru Nanak Dev ji mean when he said he had done a “A true trade”?
What can we learn from this story?
Verbal q and a – or can do in books

7. Langar: Mata Khivi Ji
Mata Ji was the wife of Guru Angad Dev Ji (2nd Guru) she rendered service in utmost humility. She would supervise the langar and serve the food with her own hands to all who came.
Met five Guru’s in her life
Mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Dedicated her life to sewa (selfless service)
A true role model
PLEASE NOTE MATA KHIVI WILL BE A LESSON IN TERM THREE
When Bhai Lehna Ji became Guru Angad, second Guru of the Sikhs, life became very busy for Mata Khivi. People were now coming to her house to see their Guru. She had always been accustomed to a busy social life, but this was different. There was a purpose to all this coming and going that had not been there before. Moreover, Sikh teaching was very clear that one must earn ones living through one's own labour. Khivi took these teachings very seriously. She took upon herself the onerous task of managing every detail of the langar. Only the best possible ingredients were used, and everyone was treated with utmost courtesy. Her hospitality has been emulated over the centuries and has become the first cultural identity of the Sikhs. She helped the Guru in establishing the infant Sikh community on a stronger footing.21 She has been described as good natured, efficient, beautiful and all round perfect Khivi.22 She has the distinction of being the only one of the Guru·s wives to be mentioned by name in Guru Granth Sahib. There she is described as a "good person", "an affectionate mother" and as "one who provides shelter and protection to others."
Khivi did much more than work in the kitchen. She created a loving atmosphere for all whom she came in contact with. She and Guru Angad were very fond of their children. They lavished their love and affection on not only their own, but on any child in the community. Their commitment was so strong that it gave a beautiful example to all who witnessed it. The Guru took great delight in spending time with the children, teaching them a modified version of the Punjabi script which was easier to learn by the illiterate masses. This new script, which was his invention, soon became known as Gurmukhi script. He is credited in popularising this alphabet, in which the Guru Granth Sahib is written. Each day there was special time set aside first to teach the children and delight in their clever ways. Then they would watch the children at play, and often watch wrestling matches together. From the games, the Guru would draw lessons for his congregation. Guru Angad, with the help of Bhai Bala and other disciples, wrote the first "Life" of Guru Nanak, and this work became the first published prose of the Punjabi language.

8. What dish is this? How many ingridients? Simple to make
Simplicity in the way it looks
Generally liked by most people?
Fulfilling dish …..
Etc
Sikhs believe in the concept of simplicity of dishes in a Gurdwara – simple lentils. Pulses – vergetables – nothing too complicated or something that takes hours and hours to cook.

9. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj says:
"Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru`s wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru`s Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia." (Ang 967)

10. What sewa can we do in a Langar?
Peel
Cook
Serve
Make chapatti’s
Distribute food
Help in special functions
Wash
Clean dishes/ cooking pots/scrub floors/utensils
Stir
Help with second servings!

11. Do’s and Don’ts of sewa
Recite Waheguru while you’re washing up or serving
Taste the langar while you’re making it
What other do and don’t do you think might apply when a langar is prepared, served, cleared up?
Do:
Keep your head covered. (can keep shoes on due to kitchen safety)
Recite hymns, verses
Work as a team
Keep food ready to serve so it does not run out
Wash hands – maintain utmost hygiene
Ensure special rules about food are followed
Do as much or as little as you are able – 5 minutes or all day is fine
Do Not
- Talk loudly/shout
- Let your ego get in the way of doing a mundane task
- Get upset if elders keep telling you what to do
-Taste food while you are cooking it – tasting is not allowed till all the food is ready and the Granthi has ‘blessed’ the food by declaring it ready to serve. The cooks can then taste it and add any last minute seasoning if they wish .
Generally in Indian households food is never tasted as it is cooked by the utensil with which it is being stirred (stems of an old idea of contaminating food prevalent in Indian cultures at the time – and it still persists to this day – they would not contaminate a whole pot of food with a spoon they have licked and put back in the pot – if they wish to taste food before serving they would take a small amount in a bowl separately and check it – but it would never be put back in the pot. If you lick the stirring utensil you cannot put it back in the pot – you use another one

12. Langar: Guru Amar Daas Ji
Amar Das the third guru formalised the institution of langar, the guru’s free kitchen, uniting the Sikhs by establishing two key concepts:
Sangat
Pangat:
sitting together on the ground (tables) in a row to partake of food from a common kitchen regardless of caste, creed, gender, age or social status
Guru Amar Das Ji believed in the equality of all humans. The Guru Ji also ordered anyone who wished to see him, regardless of status, must first sit with commoners and share the same food in Langar. This belief couldn't have been shown any stronger than when Akbar (a Mougal Empereor – Muslim) came and sat in Langar before meeting the Guru.
Guru Amar Das Ji did a lot for the Sikh cause. Although Langar was around before, Guru Amar Das – he was the Guru to make it a FORMAL INSTITUTION OF A GURDWARA, with its respective rules ( ie no meat or fish, no alcohol, no eggs, but cows milk and cheese is allowed).
Many Gurdwaras prefer people to sit on the floor (carpet mats are provided) when their food is served. They believe that that was how it was done in the times of the Guru’s lives and we should copy that tradition. Other Gurdwaras, especially in the UK/US have allowed the introduction of chairs and tables. Some Gurdwaras have both systems available for the Sangat. In this day and age people argue that it is too difficult for the elderly or the very young to sit on the floor and eat. It all very much depends on the Gurdwara and their respective committees !! Some of whom are a law unto themselves!!
SANGAT means CONGREGATION listening/participating in services in the presence of the GGS

13. LANGAR AT HARMINDER SAHIB The Golden Temple)
Watch the video on Langer at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, India
You tube :
Titled : Golden Temple: Langar Hall "The world´s biggest free eatery" by
If you can find any other good ones please show them. The one above is related to a short quiz in the ppt.

14. Quiz on Langar at Darbaar Sahib
Langar Hall: At the world’s largest free eatery

15. How many plates, bowls and spoons are there at Darbar Sahib
Ask the audience Phone a friend
40’000
20’000 A B
40 million
132’000 C D

16. B-40’000
You have won £100

17. How many people come to eat daily?
Ask the audience Phone a friend
3 million
330’000 A B
80’000
3000 C D

18. C- 80’000
You have won £200

19. Loh Langar Tapde Rahin means…
Ask the audience Phone a friend
May the plates remain hot
Langar before sangat A B
The Langar of Guru’s Shabad
Has opened
May the hot plates of the
Langar remain ever in service C D

20. D- May the hot plates of the Langar remain ever in service
You have won £300

21. 3000 people are served every…?
Ask the audience Phone a friend
hour
30 minutes A B
15 minutes
day C D

22. C- 15 minutes
You have won £500

23. There are 300 permanent sevadaars
In langar at darbaar sahib. What does
Sevadaar mean?
Ask the audience Phone a friend
Paid worker
Cleaners A B
Chef
Volunteer C D

24. Congratulations
D- Volunteer
Congratulations

25. Quiz over

26. THE FOOD Strictly vegetarian
No meat, fish, eggs (but cows milk/cheese allowed).
No alcohol.
WHAT DISHES DO YOU THINK MIGHT BE SERVED?
(Research types of dishes cooked for a langar meal – write a menu)

27. Ingredients of Langar
TASK: Annotate your langar thaal (tray) with the key ingredients of langar
What does langar represent?
How should langar be served?
What should our thinking be when receiving langar?
Utilise the thaal document to annotate - this could be completed as a homework or an IT suite task
Who is langar for?
What are the rules (maryada) in langar?
Make sure you use key words

28. Praying before and after langar is vital.
Always be grateful for everything especially langar when its served in the Gurdwara.
Praying before and after langar is vital.
Some Sikhs try and recite the following before and after every meal/drink, some only so do at the end of their day:
] thoo dhaathaa dhaathaar thaeraa dhithaa khaavanaa || You are the Giver, the Great Giver; we eat whatever You give us.
Write down the verse in your books and explain how reciting before and after a meal might make a Sikh feel ?
Students could try and recite the verse.
Or use as an alternative homework. 28