While a legitimate conversation can be had around the degrees to which langar is “selfless” among Sikhs in the west, I offer that framing langar as “giving back” is a disservice.
Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Balwand, Guru Angad, Langar, Mata Khivi, model minority myth, seva
In 2011, an article in TIME magazine discussed a study that correlated a person’s risk of obesity with their attendance of religious services, finding that “…people who went to church or church activities at least once a week were more than twice as likely as people with no religious involvement to become obese.” While the results of the study was not specific to Sikhs or Sikh Americans, I considered the Sikh context — particularly as it relates to the Sikh […]
Categories: Reports/Studies, Sikhism • Tags: Gurdwara, Langar, obesity, University of California Los Angeles
When the legacy of the second Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Angad (1504-1552), is discussed, the building of institutions and infrastructure for the Sikh community is often mentioned. In particular, he is renowned for developing the Gurmukhi script (the basis of the Sikh scriptures) to make the Guru’s hymns more accessible, for furthering the cause of women’s rights, and for strengthening the institution of langar, the community kitchen started by Guru Nanak (his predecessor) that is open to all and […]
Categories: Events, Sikhism • Tags: Guru Angad, International Women's Day, Langar, Mata Khivi
City Spoonful, a New York-focused food culture website, visits the Gurdwara in Staten Island, New York, looking beyond the menu to talk about the religious significance of langar – the community meal served at every Sikh house of worship: The meal itself exemplifies two of the most important tenets of Sikhism: equality and community service. That egalitarian philosophy is emphasized by the custom of eating langar on the floor, where everyone literally sits at the same level. Often, langar is […]
Categories: News Bits, Sikhism • Tags: City Spoonful, Langar, New York, Staten Island
Quite often, when mainstream media outlets portray Sikh functions or services, the reporters commonly make a note of the Sikh practice of langar, the free kitchen and food made available to all who attend the service. Take, for example, the recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Where the Food Is Free” which describes the preparation of langar at the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill, New York. An excerpt: They say there’s no such thing as a free […]
Categories: Reflections • Tags: Langar, New York, Richmond Hill, Sikh Cultural Society, Wall Street Journal
Dan Packel, at the website TheAwl.com, learns a little about Sikhism by way of a visit to the Philadelphia Sikh Society Gurdwara, where he partakes of langar and writes about it somewhat as a food review. I even picked up some insight about why my mother refers to plain lettuce as “salad”. Read the full piece at The Awl.
Categories: Reflections • Tags: Dan Packel, Langar, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Sikh Society Gurdwara, The Awl
A recent study profiled on Time Magazine’s website correlates church goers with higher rates of obesity: So researchers at Northwestern University sought to find out how attending religious events is associated with weight gain over time. They analyzed data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, which followed more than 2,400 people aged 20 to 32 for 18 years. Over that time, the scientists reported at an American Heart Association conference, people who went to church or […]
Categories: News Bits, Reports/Studies, Sikhism • Tags: Gurdwara, Langar, Northwestern University, obesity, Sikhism, The Langar Hall
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