Langar – Community Kitchen. It is a common free kitchen.
* In Langar, food is prepared and served jointly by the Sangat, as a selfless (voluntary) service with a smile.
* This food is complimentary (free) from Gurdwara i.e. Sangat – congregation.
* Langar might have been sponsored by one or more families. At some places, it is offered by Gurdwara.
* If there is a kitchen, the Langar may be prepared in the Gurdwara. If not, it is brought from homes, prepared singly or jointly. The idea is to have the self-prepared food as a voluntary service.
* As far as possible, it should not be ordered from a restaurant.
* Langar is to teach selfless service with love.
Langar Hall Entering
* Enter the Langar hall with covered head, bare feet, and nicely washed hands. Be calm. Do not be impatient or in any hurry.
* Sit down with the others in a row. Everyone may chant together the Name of God, the True Name – “Waheguru, Satte-Naamu” etc.
* Start eating when the food is served to all and a signal to eat is given. Usually the slogan is uttered “Jo bole so nihaal, Satsri-Akaal.”
* Eat food quietly and calmly, without any hurry. If by chance you have been ignored, or some item has not been served, without calling aloud, you may quietly remind the people serving there to serve you.
* You are at liberty to ask for salt, pepper, chilly, condiments , sugar etc. or anything else available for the Langar service. Some items might not be right to be served in Langar.
* Take only that much which you can eat without leaving any portion. Try not to leave Jooth – uneaten portion.
* Eat with reverence to the Guru, and God. Some consider themselves fortunate in eating Langar, and they may take it as a Parshad – the Guru’s holy gift.
* After finishing, wait till others have eaten. Try to get up with the others.
* You may keep sitting and continue eating till you are done, get up only after you are finished, and do not mind even though other new ones have started sitting down on your sides, or in the rows. There is no need to hurry up, be calm and have your time.
* Do not wash your hands or mouth into your utensils, or while sitting in the row. Get up and go to wash room. For this purpose, a devotee may offer to someone a hand washbasin and water where he or she is sitting. It is not nice to look at.
* Clean the place if something gets spilled. If Langar hall is carpeted, take an extra care not to let anything spill.
* After eating, throw the plastic-ware into trash-bag if someone comes to collect it. If not, pick it while getting up, and dispose it off into a trash-bag or can. Someone may collect silverware (metal) or chinaware. Otherwise, throw leftover in the trash-can, take it to the sink, or to a designated place, and leave it there. You may rinse and leave it, or clean it properly as others might be doing. The best is to clean it with soap and water, or with cleaning powder. Wooden ash mixed with sand worked fine at some places in India. If dishwasher facility is available, rinse and leave such utensils there.
* One should not eat, nibble or snack in the kitchen (cooking area), or at its service counter.
* No one busy eating, should touch utensils, food, or service bowls, service spoons etc. in the kitchen, without first washing the hands with soap and water. It is convenient and nice to ask someone else to serve you rather than trying to do it yourself. At some places, or occasions, self-service is practiced, but in a proper and organized way.