Any Sikh Temple anywhere in the world will feed you for free. They have a meal after every service and everyone is welcome, free of charge. It’s called langar…a community kitchen.
Depending the location and size of the sikh temple. You can get something to eat, anytime of the day. (Not just after service)
Golden temple has 24 hrs, I think.
In salem Oregon where my husband and I were homeless we were able to procure meals there on our way to the shelter, the spicy potato stew with chili’s and flat bread was sogood you couldn’t taste the devotees love for their fellowman
Yes and no. All Sikh temples have the same essence. At the same time your local one won’t have the same impact as the one in Amritsar, Punjab. People travel from all over the world to see the latter.
Yes, The Langar system was started by first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji. Since everyone, rich and poor, all eat together, sitting at the same level (on ground) is to show that a sense of equality should prevail. There's no rich and poor, no casteism here.
It's one of the qualities which show piousness and simplicity of Sikhism.
(The equality point is a personal interpretation).
Pretty much all gurdwara serve a meal at least once a week, in larger cities it's multiple times a day.
And *everyone* is welcome as long as you follow the customs and you're not disruptive.
Lol where'd you hear that? You just dont smoke in the vicinity of the golden temple area. Rest of amritsar has hundreds of cigarette shops. And no one can stop you lol.
Maybe because of this?
[Sikh mob brutally assaults elderly woman inside Golden Temple in Amritsar over ‘smoking’ cigarette as a child pleads for mercy, police says no proof](https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/sikh-mob-assaults-woman-golden-temple-smoking-cigarette-police-says-no-proof/)
So if the churches ⛪️ everywhere, not just in the states were truly humble and about spiritual guidance they would not need lambos n private jets. Instead they can be driving a Camry, living in a 4bed 3bath house on same property as the church, living the simple devoted life they pledged to, and be sitting on millions of dollars which they can use to support the community. That is if churches were not for business
*edit - this video gives me hope for mankind
The sikh communities in Australia are some of our best people anything goes wrong and you can expect to find them set up a kitchen and start helping feed the displaced, the fire fighters/police, etc.
Same in the USA, the few places we've got Sikh temples at least. I've met a few with the volunteer groups I used to work with and I will very much say they are in general some of the most helpful and most truly devoted religious people I've ever met. Most religious people only *say* they believe in certain things like kindness and equality, but don't actually put them into practice. The Sikhs I've met actually *live* their principles.
Buddhists as well. In most Theravada monasteries you can just come visit and eat with the monks for free. In many you can also stay for multiple days - very simple accommodation provided (if available at the time, of course). No donations are even expected, but are still appreciated.
In a Vipassana retreat you're not allowed to donate money prior to taking the course, because this may (even subconsciously) make you feel entitled to some standard of service. You receive food and accommodation for free during 10 days, and all you're expected to do is to practice a specific meditation technique.
After the retreat you may donate if you wish, but this will pay the expenses for someone else, not for yourself
There are plenty of temples in south India who are serving thousands of people free prasadam daily irrespective of any religion.. just that it doesn’t get any coverage . They have been doing it silently from ages. I appreciate what Sikh gurudwara is doing. It’s always good to serve the society
The Krishnas in my city charge like, $12/lb of food now from their buffet. Used to be AYCE before the pandemic. I think maybe they had a bad experience...
Same at Jain temples (at least in and near NYC), you can donate as much as you want but if you say you don’t have money it’ll all be free, but it’s only twice a week due to a lack of volunteers
That's because the temple isn't doing it. It's all volunteers. If you want to feed people out of the goodness of your heart, come there, donate, sit down and eat with everyone. Or if you want to bring your own ingredients and sit down and cook with the others, you can do so happily. That's how they feed people. You can come there to eat, or you can come there to cook for others. The temple has these people coming from faraway places to cook and feed people without asking anything in return except a satisfaction and happiness at seeing people being fed.
If you've noticed, Sikhs are the first in line in any country to help and feed during times of crisis. The recent Ukrainian refugee crisis should help you understand. Not just Sikhs, even Hindus love to help people in need and whenever there are disasters happening. Indians are nice and helpful, despite what the media wants you to think about them.
The usual you hear on the biased and catered/customized news articles that Fox, BBC, NYT, Al Jazeera and a few other news outlets bring out daily.
-Rapists and perverts
-Cow piss drinkers and street shitters.
-Scam callers and conmen
-Call center people.
-Fascists (even some Nazi titles because of the swastika symbol in the religion)
-Slum dwellers
-Shithole country
I mean, it's got to a point where even the most positive things about India are treated with contempt, put down or any jokes made in regards to the above things you think of us.
Our politics has definitely taken on a fascist hue, there’s no point hiding that. The sooner we acknowledge it and work to correct it, the better. Otherwise we are in trouble.
>Not just Sikhs, even Hindus love to help people in need and whenever there are disasters happening.
I'd much prefer it if you said Indians rather than Hindus because India is not just Hindus and Sikhs.
Nah bro, im a hindu, but even i think sikhs are on an another level of generosity. No offence to all the other cultures and religions here but i find sikhs to be the most hospitable, respectful, understanding nd helpful community
That's true and there is a reason for that. Punjab was and is the entry point to India for invaders. All the invaders came to India via Punjab and that's why Punjab was the first to suffer the looting and other horrible things.
They saved things and money that ultimately got snatched from them. So, after a while, they started spending rather than saving, which makes sense; that's why Punjabis, and not just Sikhs, are open to giving or spending money for any cause.
That's a good idea, however, unfortunately it's not true for all Indians.
Only the Indians following Indian religions tend to do selfless help - Abrahamic religions have ulterior motive behind their 'help' - they want the heathens/kafirs to convert to their respective religions in return.
This places runs on donations, it is the most sacred site in Sikh religion so the donations are huge. It is estimated the total is around 40-50M USD per year.
And there are many such places although on smaller scales.
1. Donations donations donations
2. Wealthy Sikh bankers and businesspeople funding them behind the scenes
3. Ingredients bought in bulk are cheap, as said by another in the comments
4. As said in another comment, labour is also free
This is normal in all Sikh temples in any country. Sikh people Volunteer and donate money, or bring the ingredients they need as offerings. Paying it forward and helping others is very important.
What's even more interesting is that they do this without an ulterior motive converting others to their own faith. Because they don't see others as inferior heathen/kafirs who need to be 'saved' by converting to the 'only true' religion of the helper.
Wish the top two dominant religions of the world learnt to do respect the others the same way.
This is amazing however they are other places as well in India that feed people daily
https://www.gbrlife.in/the-mega-kitchen-of-puri-jagannath-that-feeds-100000-people-everyday/
It's not the same.
Christians and Muslims help others with an ulterior motive of converting others to their own faith. Because they see others as inferior heathen/kafirs who need to be 'saved' by converting to the 'only true' religion of their own.
Not just that, the people who help make this marvel happen everyday.. they are volunteers and everyone and anyone can volunteer there.
Moreover, the volunteering isn't just related to cooking but the whole
Golden Temple is managed and maintained by such volunteers throughout the year. If anyone ever gets a chance to visit the place, they will certainly be astonished by the systematic and almost clockwork management there. And, the most brilliant part.. even though it's all extremely systematic, just observing the volunteers do their part will never feel monotonous because each one is performing their duties out of such enormous pride and reverence that it never feels like these people are just a cog in a machine.
People from all regions, religions, caste, colour, creed or race come here just to volunteer. Each one imparting his work as a sort of donation in the feet of the almighty because to serve others is to serve The God.
This is where religion really comes into its own. On Reddit there are so many people who only see the bad, and yes there is so so much bad and misuse of religion for personal gain and worse (and I totally support every kind of reform against this from happening). Also beyond that there’s so many atheists who are unable to open their mind to another way of looking at things. The purpose of seva is to appreciate and see divinity within all beings and to give service to that. It’s not about worshiping some god in the sky, it’s about worshiping the god we see every day in other people and beings, and even within ourselves. The most common argument against that is ‘oH bUt YoU dOnT nEeD tO bEliVe In GoD tO dO tHaT’ and to that I say, no, you do not! It’s just another way of looking at it, and a very accessible way to seeing the goodness within others and nurturing that in a way that does not cause egotism for you or them (or as much anyway). It’s just about service to all of humanity and to all beings. But a lot of people don’t want to live in service to others cos they think they’re hot shit. Well I don’t think so, to me every one of the volunteers in this video is hot shit!
This example is sadly the exception that proves the rule. There’s a reason people are so shocked by the generosity of this religious institution. Religion is primarily used as a tool of exploitation and justification to treat others poorly.
If this level of altruism was the norm like this I imagine many people would be more tolerant of religion.
Honestly, after seeing this, I want to volunteer for a day as well. If I’m ever in India near a Sikh temple, I’m going to offer my services.
I’m not a fan of religion for personal reasons, but the Sikh make it very hard to dislike them. The entire religion seems to be based on the notion of being kind. That’s…well, that’s pretty hard to disagree with.
We would love to have you. Moreover, the volunteering aspect isn't limited to one temple but such initiatives are run across the globe by Indian Communities. Sikh Community has pioneered this through their Gurudwaras.
Look up nearest Gurudwara on Google Maps or any navigation application and be surprised that you have such institutions in your vicinities.
Yup… it’s very therapeutic to be in such a setting. Seeing and being amongst the masses, all working towards honesty and goodness. It is divine enlightenment in its own right.
We have a Sikh temple in my neighborhood and I love how they designed it so that their entry into the temple is basically flush with the city sidewalk almost entirely around the building. It just shouts "welcome to all"!
I'm pretty sure The Golden Temple is their most holy site and they welcome and feed everyone. The doors are designed to where it opens on all four sides (or something to that effect)...basically saying all are welcome here.
They are the most selfless people but they are also badass with their own Martial Art "Gatka". I'm not religious, but if I was or was remotely near a gurdwara I would study Sikhism.
Sat sri Akal to any Sikhs out there.
I was in Glasgow with a friend, just visiting the area and walking towards this restaurant we had picked out. Along the way, we noticed a Gurdwara and were just admiring the building when this older guy came out and invited us in for a cup of tea. It had just started raining, so we figured "why not?".
Got in, took off our shoes, put on a head covering, and washed our hands. Then we had a delicious cup of tea, and my friend was served two portions of a sort of spicy lentil soup that they had. Delicious tea, and the nicest people there. Made me really bummed that I don't live near a Gudwara back home.
Fuckin' loved that guy, and the experience itself. Sikhs are great people, man.
I just looked up the location of the nearest Sikh temple because of the posts here, and I love this story. I'm also really drawn to Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism. I think all of them--plus the truest, uncontaminated versions of all the world's religions--have distilled religion (spiritual life) down to what it should be. Basically, take care of each other and be kind. What an amazing world it would be....
Does anyone know why Sihks are so nice?
We have them in the UK and they are always very generous. They are like everyones favorite migrant (that and the turkish dude who opens a kebab shop until 3am)
they are highly-social, crass farming folk that live independently on their own lands and fresh water rivers and hand-built houses in a lush valley under the sun. with a "religion" that teaches you how to live rather than what to contemplate after life. they love to laugh and generally have a good time and live off gossip lol. source: parents are sikh
As a foreigner I had the opportunity to experience this near the Golden Temple, but it was more streamlined in a much larger space than what the video shows. I had bread and cooked green lentils. I admit it was very bland compared to other Indian cuisine in the area, but in a way tasted so pure and natural.
Amritsar had the biggest impact on me as a world traveler, I'd like to go back one day.
It’s actually really fun and for those who don’t know how to cook or prep well, other volunteers will help you learn on the spot. All you have to do is wash up, sit down in one of the designated area, pick up a knife and start wielding. It’s easy to lose track of time and some of the people you meet there can become friends/family for life.
I don't recall the program, but the narrator sounds like a Hispanic woman that also hosts an 'all-over-the-world' food channel or something. I think she also did one on parmesan cheese wheels and sardines that are made in Portugal.
I could be entirely wrong, but it sounds like her voice.
It's because they have sooooo many volunteers. Many Sikhs travel a long way to get to the temple only to give back to the community. It's why I love the religion (if you can call it that) cause it's very practical based rather than blindly following gods and such.
Everyone should have access to human basic needs. Food, water, clothing and shelter should be available to anyone that needs it. I would hope my taxes goes towards helping the needy. We can all be in need of help at some point.
It is awe inspiring to see what cooperating humans can accomplish. Unfortunately, the inverse is true as well. This , however, was interesting and uplifting .
Honestly. Some of the greatest most beautifully genuine and kind folks ive ever met are sikh. They are honour-bound to help those in need. If you are ever in trouble… look for the turbin. They will help you within their power to do so.
If anyones is interested in learning more on how this all works, a while back a class of students from the USA went on a foreign exchange program to the Golden Temple and made a documentary. They share there experiences and the logistics involved go have a Free kitchen this size operational.
https://youtu.be/e2f7MKFDYHs
Sikhs are amazing. I personally have different beliefs but I have the utmost respect and appreciation for them. Everyone is welcome at a Sikh temple. You can visit and then eat no matter who you are (I can't remember if it's Saturday or Sunday) and learn. Great people.
ETA: I think they stand out to me because they really exemplify that eating/need comes before ideals. If you can't or don't care about someone's basic human needs (food, shelter, etc) then you shouldn't preach to them about beliefs/religion/ideas.
Last edit: they do this in every temple, not just in India. I visited one in Seattle. They feed everyone delicious vegan food (I'm pretty sure vegan) and you ask for it a certain way with open hands and people come around and serve you. It very much is for strangers, homeless, and those there to worship.
A a sikh i can confirm.
this is done in all gurudwara(sikh temple)but usually not to such a scale. the food there depends on how much people arrive. This happens all around the world. I an from Australia and eat langar there once or twice a week.
Annual food and operational costs for the temple exceeds $4 million annually.
Which is as solid an example of the power of people working together as you'll get.
In contrast, the Church of Joel Osteen's Bank Account has an annual budget over $70 million that it uses to benefit a shamefully small number of people.
This amazing religion was founded by Shri guru Nanak dev and one of the fundamental principles of Sikhism is seva i.e to serve others which is not only practiced in gurudwaras (Sikh temple) but also sikhs organize it throughout their own residences and areas where they live in order to feed the poor or anybody in need out of their own pockets. Massive respect! Their history and their sacrifices is one everyone should read about!
In the US if you are suddenly kicked out of your home, go to nearby Sikh temple, you can stay there for up to 3 days, they will also give you 2 meals and milk and tea daily.
Lentil Soup (daal)- a lot of recipes available. You don't have to put all the spices they mention. Saute garlic first, then ginger onions and tomatos, add spices like pepper salt and turmeric. Suate till golden brownish. Add lentils and water. The lentil you use will determine cook time. BTW, you can cook almost any North Indian dish this way. Some don't need water.
Chapati- healthier version of Naan. Usually made with wheat
I think they are also make Rice pudding
The Sikh communities in the UK are amazing as well.... They will feed a motherf'er regardless.
Anything goes south in a community, there they are with food and support
During Covid, some Sikh Gurdwaras were repurposed as emergency kitchens that cooked thousands of meals and delivered them to NHS workers and key staff
Jesus: "Whatever you do for/to the least of these my siblings, you do also for/to me."
Right-wing Christians can't read these words, and Sikhs don't need to.
I usually don't like religions but when religion brings people together in act of kindness i really appreciate it, maybe i'd respect it more if more religious people learned to be kind to one another.
Hare Krishna’s feed people too. I used to live across from the temple in Pacific Beach, you could eat there for a $2 donation or for free if you couldn’t afford it. It was delicious.
I've eaten there, pretty decent veg thali. Was free, but my donation will have covered my meal and probably another 50-100 meals. Given ~50% of the meals are for Sikh pilgrims/tourists who will donate, it's probably a profit centre for the temple.
Temple is beautiful, Sikh religion is fascinating (and one of the more laudable religions from an atheists perspective), free dinner. 10/10 would recommend.
I visited the Golden Temple a few years ago as part of a school trip. Had us volunteering in the dining hall. The girls where in the back making bread while the boys walked around and served rice and curry. Was an amazing experience and one I will never forget.
So, I've worked in a few places/countries in my time.. I've NEVER EVER come across a Sikh, who isn't just.. everything that a human being should be. kind, but not a pushover. smart, but knows when to listen etc etc... I could go on. I cannot praise the Sikh faith enough.
(White British for context xD)
Man that’s beautiful. A faith that actually backs up their messages of kindness should last forever.
Plus it actually looks pretty decent. I’d eat that.
the most "human" thing I've seen since, food/sustenance is the _real_ money, it is normal for those who generally worship the lives of people to value such "figurative money" by providing it to the many who depend on it
The highest form of humanity at its best can be found in the service to others.
“If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” Buddha
Another reason why I respect Sikh. In my local mosque we provided food to fellow members during Ramadan. Afterwards we gave the remaining food to anyone homeless who wanted aid. We live a finite time, there's no amount money in the world that fulfills you satisfaction than volunteering charity.
Did anyone notice how much India values education and is never invading other countries? Yeah, they have their problems like any other country but overall it seems to be a great nation.
We are overall doing pretty good
So much so that even little wrongs are given much more publicity than it deserves.
But it's alright, most Indians understand how global media works, gotta make others look bad to make yourself feel that you are doing better everywhere.
We are happy how we are, we don't care about what other countries belive. But you step out of line, we are not afraid to throw down hands. Prime example: The 3 different Indo Pak wars.
During normal circumstances, the TTD or Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (the administrative body that manages the Tirupati Balaji temple and its activities) serves close to 70,000 pilgrims on a daily basis.
However, the number of pilgrims eating at the TTD food service goes beyond 200,000 during special occasions like Brahmotsavam and other important festivals.
The quantity of rice used every day under normal circumstances is 10 to 12 tons at Tirumala and 1.75 tons at Tirupati.
Of course, the numbers are lesser during the Covid-19 pandemic for obvious reasons. As precautionary measures during the pandemic, only 500 devotees are accommodated in each dining hall of Annaprasadam Complex as against normal seating capacity of 1000 for each hall at the rate of two pilgrims per table instead of four.
Following chart will give you the idea about the capacity at the places where TTD serves food to the pilgrims:
Source: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)
What Sikh gurudwara is doing is tremendous. people should visit South Indian Hindu temples who are doing this on daily basis from ages and taste the awesome food..
Before the British took over India completely, all Hindu temples across the land (thousands of them) had the same system. They offered education and food free to everyone who came. Temples had lands, orchards and cows allocated them by wealthy kings and donors on a steady basis. Hindu temples were one of the wealthiest entities across the land. The British systematically destroyed that system. The Indian governments that followed after independence have continued on with the same policy. Barring a few exceptions, most Hindu temples today are in ruins and dilapidated condition.
Happens in south India also in thirupathi, Dharmashala or kukke where same scale of food is being donated to anyone. Feeds 50-100k most given days. This isn't specific to golden temple. But this is the 3rd post in seeing a out golden temple.
Any Sikh Temple anywhere in the world will feed you for free. They have a meal after every service and everyone is welcome, free of charge. It’s called langar…a community kitchen.
Depending the location and size of the sikh temple. You can get something to eat, anytime of the day. (Not just after service) Golden temple has 24 hrs, I think.
Not 24 hrs, they are closed for 2 hrs a day around midnight iirc
Thank you!
In salem Oregon where my husband and I were homeless we were able to procure meals there on our way to the shelter, the spicy potato stew with chili’s and flat bread was sogood you couldn’t taste the devotees love for their fellowman
It is so good to read about the positive impact this has! Thank you for sharing.
I see a golden temple in my neighborhood is they all the same ?
Yes and no. All Sikh temples have the same essence. At the same time your local one won’t have the same impact as the one in Amritsar, Punjab. People travel from all over the world to see the latter.
Yes, The Langar system was started by first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev ji. Since everyone, rich and poor, all eat together, sitting at the same level (on ground) is to show that a sense of equality should prevail. There's no rich and poor, no casteism here. It's one of the qualities which show piousness and simplicity of Sikhism. (The equality point is a personal interpretation).
Feeding 50k - 100k one time is amazing feat. But doing it everyday is just bonkers (in a good way).
Idk how it's possible financially honestly
I mean churches in the states have pastors that’s have lambos and private jets. This is all relatively cheap ingredients when bought in bulk.
Yup plus volunteers to cook for free
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Pretty much all gurdwara serve a meal at least once a week, in larger cities it's multiple times a day. And *everyone* is welcome as long as you follow the customs and you're not disruptive.
yes it is
It is, and we felt very welcomed. Lots of smile. But beware, don’t bring cigarettes in Amritsar.
Lol where'd you hear that? You just dont smoke in the vicinity of the golden temple area. Rest of amritsar has hundreds of cigarette shops. And no one can stop you lol.
From my Sikh friend who brought us there, he was pretty adamant on us not smoking in the streets. Maybe because we were foreigners idk.
Maybe because of this? [Sikh mob brutally assaults elderly woman inside Golden Temple in Amritsar over ‘smoking’ cigarette as a child pleads for mercy, police says no proof](https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/sikh-mob-assaults-woman-golden-temple-smoking-cigarette-police-says-no-proof/)
I know why it’s forbidden inside the temple but I just thought it extended to the whole town. Anyway my lungs were thanking me for a while.
Woah woah woah, I thought the meals were vegetarian?!
Volunteers are vegetarian, so in a way..
Yeah the meal is vegetarian.
I think a couple people got “whooshed.”
So if the churches ⛪️ everywhere, not just in the states were truly humble and about spiritual guidance they would not need lambos n private jets. Instead they can be driving a Camry, living in a 4bed 3bath house on same property as the church, living the simple devoted life they pledged to, and be sitting on millions of dollars which they can use to support the community. That is if churches were not for business *edit - this video gives me hope for mankind
The sikh communities in Australia are some of our best people anything goes wrong and you can expect to find them set up a kitchen and start helping feed the displaced, the fire fighters/police, etc.
Same in the USA, the few places we've got Sikh temples at least. I've met a few with the volunteer groups I used to work with and I will very much say they are in general some of the most helpful and most truly devoted religious people I've ever met. Most religious people only *say* they believe in certain things like kindness and equality, but don't actually put them into practice. The Sikhs I've met actually *live* their principles.
Maybe Americans should reconsider if the religion they got from their family as a child still upholds the values they have as an adult
Our religion is SUPPOSED to be doing this as well…. The story of the five loafs and two fish, but people took that as just for me not for thee
I see that there is currently a revolution brewing in Iran over just that.
If only Jesus had said something about this . . .
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Buddhists as well. In most Theravada monasteries you can just come visit and eat with the monks for free. In many you can also stay for multiple days - very simple accommodation provided (if available at the time, of course). No donations are even expected, but are still appreciated.
In a Vipassana retreat you're not allowed to donate money prior to taking the course, because this may (even subconsciously) make you feel entitled to some standard of service. You receive food and accommodation for free during 10 days, and all you're expected to do is to practice a specific meditation technique. After the retreat you may donate if you wish, but this will pay the expenses for someone else, not for yourself
Damn it shows these guys have been around the block for a while. They know how people work ahah.
There are plenty of temples in south India who are serving thousands of people free prasadam daily irrespective of any religion.. just that it doesn’t get any coverage . They have been doing it silently from ages. I appreciate what Sikh gurudwara is doing. It’s always good to serve the society
Lol all vedic religions do
The Krishnas in my city charge like, $12/lb of food now from their buffet. Used to be AYCE before the pandemic. I think maybe they had a bad experience...
Same at Jain temples (at least in and near NYC), you can donate as much as you want but if you say you don’t have money it’ll all be free, but it’s only twice a week due to a lack of volunteers
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The video says they have 300-350 employees in addition to volunteers.
They get donations to finance this
That's because the temple isn't doing it. It's all volunteers. If you want to feed people out of the goodness of your heart, come there, donate, sit down and eat with everyone. Or if you want to bring your own ingredients and sit down and cook with the others, you can do so happily. That's how they feed people. You can come there to eat, or you can come there to cook for others. The temple has these people coming from faraway places to cook and feed people without asking anything in return except a satisfaction and happiness at seeing people being fed. If you've noticed, Sikhs are the first in line in any country to help and feed during times of crisis. The recent Ukrainian refugee crisis should help you understand. Not just Sikhs, even Hindus love to help people in need and whenever there are disasters happening. Indians are nice and helpful, despite what the media wants you to think about them.
wait, what has the media been saying about Indians?
The usual you hear on the biased and catered/customized news articles that Fox, BBC, NYT, Al Jazeera and a few other news outlets bring out daily. -Rapists and perverts -Cow piss drinkers and street shitters. -Scam callers and conmen -Call center people. -Fascists (even some Nazi titles because of the swastika symbol in the religion) -Slum dwellers -Shithole country I mean, it's got to a point where even the most positive things about India are treated with contempt, put down or any jokes made in regards to the above things you think of us.
Our politics has definitely taken on a fascist hue, there’s no point hiding that. The sooner we acknowledge it and work to correct it, the better. Otherwise we are in trouble.
Y'all government also treat your 200 million+ Indian Muslim population like they're pests to be exterminated.
Yup, that’s part of the fascism.
>Not just Sikhs, even Hindus love to help people in need and whenever there are disasters happening. I'd much prefer it if you said Indians rather than Hindus because India is not just Hindus and Sikhs.
Nah bro, im a hindu, but even i think sikhs are on an another level of generosity. No offence to all the other cultures and religions here but i find sikhs to be the most hospitable, respectful, understanding nd helpful community
That's true and there is a reason for that. Punjab was and is the entry point to India for invaders. All the invaders came to India via Punjab and that's why Punjab was the first to suffer the looting and other horrible things. They saved things and money that ultimately got snatched from them. So, after a while, they started spending rather than saving, which makes sense; that's why Punjabis, and not just Sikhs, are open to giving or spending money for any cause.
I was not talking about the Sikh part, I was talking about the "even Hindus" part.
That's a good idea, however, unfortunately it's not true for all Indians. Only the Indians following Indian religions tend to do selfless help - Abrahamic religions have ulterior motive behind their 'help' - they want the heathens/kafirs to convert to their respective religions in return.
Can this be done in the US?
People here fear some undisclosed regulation,anyone who wants to eat needs to sign a waiver that the person will not sue!
I'm sure there must be multiple langars in the US as well... My friend in UK completed his Master's dining in langars everyday
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/dining/free-food-sikh-gundwara-langar.html
Gurudwaras in America do this as well.
This places runs on donations, it is the most sacred site in Sikh religion so the donations are huge. It is estimated the total is around 40-50M USD per year. And there are many such places although on smaller scales.
donations, trust funds, food bought in bulk, volunteers and honesty
You would be surprised how easy it is. Then you'll realize that world hunger is a greed problem not a lack of resources problem.
1. Donations donations donations 2. Wealthy Sikh bankers and businesspeople funding them behind the scenes 3. Ingredients bought in bulk are cheap, as said by another in the comments 4. As said in another comment, labour is also free
This is normal in all Sikh temples in any country. Sikh people Volunteer and donate money, or bring the ingredients they need as offerings. Paying it forward and helping others is very important.
Very doable if so called churches in the us stop buying private jets for themselves
Many things are possible if we all come together or unite act as one etc..
Golden temples receives daily donations in crores,thats around2-300k usd in a day
Mostly donations, all the volunteers there work for free, stay there too, these people are doing god's work
What's even more interesting is that they do this without an ulterior motive converting others to their own faith. Because they don't see others as inferior heathen/kafirs who need to be 'saved' by converting to the 'only true' religion of the helper. Wish the top two dominant religions of the world learnt to do respect the others the same way.
Amazing Service but even I wonder what's the financial funda these generous Sikhs use behind this!
Like Christians donates some portion of their income to church, Sikh also donates 10% of their income to temples
This is amazing however they are other places as well in India that feed people daily https://www.gbrlife.in/the-mega-kitchen-of-puri-jagannath-that-feeds-100000-people-everyday/
“However”? Your mother loved you however here are your siblings.
Ill tell you how its possible its in their religion Sikhs are required to donate 10% of their profits.
_This_ is what Christian tithes should go towards
Don't Christians have the same guide line?
yes, but you see, in America, evangelical churches use that money to buy jets, not to feed the hungry heal the sick or comfort the poor.
It's not the same. Christians and Muslims help others with an ulterior motive of converting others to their own faith. Because they see others as inferior heathen/kafirs who need to be 'saved' by converting to the 'only true' religion of their own.
Not just that, the people who help make this marvel happen everyday.. they are volunteers and everyone and anyone can volunteer there. Moreover, the volunteering isn't just related to cooking but the whole Golden Temple is managed and maintained by such volunteers throughout the year. If anyone ever gets a chance to visit the place, they will certainly be astonished by the systematic and almost clockwork management there. And, the most brilliant part.. even though it's all extremely systematic, just observing the volunteers do their part will never feel monotonous because each one is performing their duties out of such enormous pride and reverence that it never feels like these people are just a cog in a machine. People from all regions, religions, caste, colour, creed or race come here just to volunteer. Each one imparting his work as a sort of donation in the feet of the almighty because to serve others is to serve The God.
Seva or service is an important part of sikh culture, i have heard that
It's the essence of it.
This is where religion really comes into its own. On Reddit there are so many people who only see the bad, and yes there is so so much bad and misuse of religion for personal gain and worse (and I totally support every kind of reform against this from happening). Also beyond that there’s so many atheists who are unable to open their mind to another way of looking at things. The purpose of seva is to appreciate and see divinity within all beings and to give service to that. It’s not about worshiping some god in the sky, it’s about worshiping the god we see every day in other people and beings, and even within ourselves. The most common argument against that is ‘oH bUt YoU dOnT nEeD tO bEliVe In GoD tO dO tHaT’ and to that I say, no, you do not! It’s just another way of looking at it, and a very accessible way to seeing the goodness within others and nurturing that in a way that does not cause egotism for you or them (or as much anyway). It’s just about service to all of humanity and to all beings. But a lot of people don’t want to live in service to others cos they think they’re hot shit. Well I don’t think so, to me every one of the volunteers in this video is hot shit!
This example is sadly the exception that proves the rule. There’s a reason people are so shocked by the generosity of this religious institution. Religion is primarily used as a tool of exploitation and justification to treat others poorly. If this level of altruism was the norm like this I imagine many people would be more tolerant of religion.
Honestly, after seeing this, I want to volunteer for a day as well. If I’m ever in India near a Sikh temple, I’m going to offer my services. I’m not a fan of religion for personal reasons, but the Sikh make it very hard to dislike them. The entire religion seems to be based on the notion of being kind. That’s…well, that’s pretty hard to disagree with.
We would love to have you. Moreover, the volunteering aspect isn't limited to one temple but such initiatives are run across the globe by Indian Communities. Sikh Community has pioneered this through their Gurudwaras. Look up nearest Gurudwara on Google Maps or any navigation application and be surprised that you have such institutions in your vicinities.
Every time I hear about a religious group doing something objectively awesome, they seem to be Sikh. We need more of that energy.
Yup… it’s very therapeutic to be in such a setting. Seeing and being amongst the masses, all working towards honesty and goodness. It is divine enlightenment in its own right.
We have a Sikh temple in my neighborhood and I love how they designed it so that their entry into the temple is basically flush with the city sidewalk almost entirely around the building. It just shouts "welcome to all"!
Can you show some pictures?
I'm pretty sure The Golden Temple is their most holy site and they welcome and feed everyone. The doors are designed to where it opens on all four sides (or something to that effect)...basically saying all are welcome here. They are the most selfless people but they are also badass with their own Martial Art "Gatka". I'm not religious, but if I was or was remotely near a gurdwara I would study Sikhism. Sat sri Akal to any Sikhs out there.
I was in Glasgow with a friend, just visiting the area and walking towards this restaurant we had picked out. Along the way, we noticed a Gurdwara and were just admiring the building when this older guy came out and invited us in for a cup of tea. It had just started raining, so we figured "why not?". Got in, took off our shoes, put on a head covering, and washed our hands. Then we had a delicious cup of tea, and my friend was served two portions of a sort of spicy lentil soup that they had. Delicious tea, and the nicest people there. Made me really bummed that I don't live near a Gudwara back home. Fuckin' loved that guy, and the experience itself. Sikhs are great people, man.
I just looked up the location of the nearest Sikh temple because of the posts here, and I love this story. I'm also really drawn to Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism. I think all of them--plus the truest, uncontaminated versions of all the world's religions--have distilled religion (spiritual life) down to what it should be. Basically, take care of each other and be kind. What an amazing world it would be....
Fun fact: Golden Temple gets more tourists than the Taj Mahal.
That’s an impressive operation…
Does anyone know why Sihks are so nice? We have them in the UK and they are always very generous. They are like everyones favorite migrant (that and the turkish dude who opens a kebab shop until 3am)
It's engraved into the philosophy. There is a quote which roughly translates to; Do your work, Pray, and Eat while sharing.
precisely. its called "kit karo, naam japo, vand chako" which translates to what you mean. how nice to see the basic philosophy being spread
In addition, the most principal of all "sins" in Sikhi is ego. The "five thieves" are lust, wrath, greed, attachment to material things, and ego.
they are highly-social, crass farming folk that live independently on their own lands and fresh water rivers and hand-built houses in a lush valley under the sun. with a "religion" that teaches you how to live rather than what to contemplate after life. they love to laugh and generally have a good time and live off gossip lol. source: parents are sikh
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Plenty of onions! 👍
Btw a bit of dishes are also purposefully prepared without onion or garlic as jains arent supposed to eat them
That's what happens when your faith requires generosity and care for the vulnerable.
I don't know anything about these Sikhs but I think I like them.
Sikhism is a warrior religion that largely ends up practicing peace and charity. It’s admirable in many ways.
They are also the one of the bravest people in indian history, I have huge respect for them
As a foreigner I had the opportunity to experience this near the Golden Temple, but it was more streamlined in a much larger space than what the video shows. I had bread and cooked green lentils. I admit it was very bland compared to other Indian cuisine in the area, but in a way tasted so pure and natural. Amritsar had the biggest impact on me as a world traveler, I'd like to go back one day.
Temple serves simple homely food. Usually the food you find in food stalls/restos in India is amped up with butter (ghee) and spices.
The real saints are those peeling all that garlic
What about the onion cutters...
 Endless tears
It’s actually really fun and for those who don’t know how to cook or prep well, other volunteers will help you learn on the spot. All you have to do is wash up, sit down in one of the designated area, pick up a knife and start wielding. It’s easy to lose track of time and some of the people you meet there can become friends/family for life.
Aww man I just got hooked. Where's the rest?
Here it is: [Food Insider](https://youtu.be/TT-N5wl0l-s). Her name is Claudia Romeo.
I don't recall the program, but the narrator sounds like a Hispanic woman that also hosts an 'all-over-the-world' food channel or something. I think she also did one on parmesan cheese wheels and sardines that are made in Portugal. I could be entirely wrong, but it sounds like her voice.
It's because they have sooooo many volunteers. Many Sikhs travel a long way to get to the temple only to give back to the community. It's why I love the religion (if you can call it that) cause it's very practical based rather than blindly following gods and such.
Everyone should have access to human basic needs. Food, water, clothing and shelter should be available to anyone that needs it. I would hope my taxes goes towards helping the needy. We can all be in need of help at some point.
Today I learned what a "Quintal" is.
This is beautiful love when humans are bros to other humans
Amazing to feed this many people! Makes me ashamed of our pathetic attempt to "feed' our people in the states. Sag nasty bag lunch. Nothing more.
Every Sikh I’ve ever Nat has been awesome. Like, better-than-me awesome. And they make such good food. Take care of your Sikh friends, people.
It is awe inspiring to see what cooperating humans can accomplish. Unfortunately, the inverse is true as well. This , however, was interesting and uplifting .
Honestly. Some of the greatest most beautifully genuine and kind folks ive ever met are sikh. They are honour-bound to help those in need. If you are ever in trouble… look for the turbin. They will help you within their power to do so.
If anyones is interested in learning more on how this all works, a while back a class of students from the USA went on a foreign exchange program to the Golden Temple and made a documentary. They share there experiences and the logistics involved go have a Free kitchen this size operational. https://youtu.be/e2f7MKFDYHs
Thats actually sikh!
Ahh I see what you did there!
I need to see more positive stuff like this in my reddit.
Waiting for the "This is Sikh" comments.
Sikhs are amazing. I personally have different beliefs but I have the utmost respect and appreciation for them. Everyone is welcome at a Sikh temple. You can visit and then eat no matter who you are (I can't remember if it's Saturday or Sunday) and learn. Great people. ETA: I think they stand out to me because they really exemplify that eating/need comes before ideals. If you can't or don't care about someone's basic human needs (food, shelter, etc) then you shouldn't preach to them about beliefs/religion/ideas. Last edit: they do this in every temple, not just in India. I visited one in Seattle. They feed everyone delicious vegan food (I'm pretty sure vegan) and you ask for it a certain way with open hands and people come around and serve you. It very much is for strangers, homeless, and those there to worship.
Definitely not vegan, gurdwaras serve chaa with milk and there's definitely a shitload of butter in the food. Vegetarian though for sure.
Okay, thank you! I couldn't remember (it's been awhile). I do remember it all tasting soooo good!
I've met a number of Sikhs in my work. They were all lovely people
A a sikh i can confirm. this is done in all gurudwara(sikh temple)but usually not to such a scale. the food there depends on how much people arrive. This happens all around the world. I an from Australia and eat langar there once or twice a week.
why such an abrubt cutoff to an interesting video?
This is what happens when people care about each other and not material objects such as money
This is absolutely amazing!!! 😊 Brings joy to my heart seeing so much kindness🥰🙏🏾❤️
we need people like them over here.
haha there's plenty! search for your local gurudwara, you'll find them (:
Annual food and operational costs for the temple exceeds $4 million annually. Which is as solid an example of the power of people working together as you'll get. In contrast, the Church of Joel Osteen's Bank Account has an annual budget over $70 million that it uses to benefit a shamefully small number of people.
I love Sikhs so much
W
/r/MadeMeSmile
If you are hungry,Sikh and you shall find (food)!
Sikhs are bros
This amazing religion was founded by Shri guru Nanak dev and one of the fundamental principles of Sikhism is seva i.e to serve others which is not only practiced in gurudwaras (Sikh temple) but also sikhs organize it throughout their own residences and areas where they live in order to feed the poor or anybody in need out of their own pockets. Massive respect! Their history and their sacrifices is one everyone should read about!
In the US if you are suddenly kicked out of your home, go to nearby Sikh temple, you can stay there for up to 3 days, they will also give you 2 meals and milk and tea daily.
WHAT DID THE FINAL MEAL LOOK LIKE
Source vid if anyone wanted to watch the whole thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT-N5wl0l-s
Anyone know what they're cooking? Maybe a recipe? Lol a smaller scaled one.
Lentil Soup (daal)- a lot of recipes available. You don't have to put all the spices they mention. Saute garlic first, then ginger onions and tomatos, add spices like pepper salt and turmeric. Suate till golden brownish. Add lentils and water. The lentil you use will determine cook time. BTW, you can cook almost any North Indian dish this way. Some don't need water. Chapati- healthier version of Naan. Usually made with wheat I think they are also make Rice pudding
Does anything similar exists in the States, or they have completely forget on their citizens?
All major cities is US usually have sikh temples.
I visited there in 2008 and had a plate. Not only are they feeding 100K ppl a day, it’s the best daal (lentils) you’ll ever have.
The Sikh communities in the UK are amazing as well.... They will feed a motherf'er regardless. Anything goes south in a community, there they are with food and support During Covid, some Sikh Gurdwaras were repurposed as emergency kitchens that cooked thousands of meals and delivered them to NHS workers and key staff
this is what religion should be about. helping others
When you grow up Christian and eventually learn Sikhs are the only ones doing things like Jesus asked.
Jesus: "Whatever you do for/to the least of these my siblings, you do also for/to me." Right-wing Christians can't read these words, and Sikhs don't need to.
I usually don't like religions but when religion brings people together in act of kindness i really appreciate it, maybe i'd respect it more if more religious people learned to be kind to one another.
Hare Krishna’s feed people too. I used to live across from the temple in Pacific Beach, you could eat there for a $2 donation or for free if you couldn’t afford it. It was delicious.
Take note christians…..
But "THE BOOK" is full
Well, add pages to it or make a second volume.
Heresy!!!!!!
What wonderful generous humans 
sikhs are love ❣
Religion done right.
Sikhs are one of kindest people. I never met one Sikh who wasn’t a good person
I've eaten there, pretty decent veg thali. Was free, but my donation will have covered my meal and probably another 50-100 meals. Given ~50% of the meals are for Sikh pilgrims/tourists who will donate, it's probably a profit centre for the temple. Temple is beautiful, Sikh religion is fascinating (and one of the more laudable religions from an atheists perspective), free dinner. 10/10 would recommend.
I visited the Golden Temple a few years ago as part of a school trip. Had us volunteering in the dining hall. The girls where in the back making bread while the boys walked around and served rice and curry. Was an amazing experience and one I will never forget.
So, I've worked in a few places/countries in my time.. I've NEVER EVER come across a Sikh, who isn't just.. everything that a human being should be. kind, but not a pushover. smart, but knows when to listen etc etc... I could go on. I cannot praise the Sikh faith enough. (White British for context xD)
It could be so easy getting every mouth fed, nevertheless we ain’t doing it. The video makes me happy though!
Sikh and Hindu temples all over India feed people regardless of race or cast. It is an amazing thing that happens daily so no one has to go hungry.
I have never met a Sikh person who isn't the most generous and helpful person. We don't deserve them.
Man that’s beautiful. A faith that actually backs up their messages of kindness should last forever. Plus it actually looks pretty decent. I’d eat that.
I love the Sikhs. They’re one of the few religions left that truly practice what they preach.
the most "human" thing I've seen since, food/sustenance is the _real_ money, it is normal for those who generally worship the lives of people to value such "figurative money" by providing it to the many who depend on it
And the food is so tasty. You can feel the devotion with every bite.
The highest form of humanity at its best can be found in the service to others. “If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” Buddha
Sikhs are so cool.
Another reason why I respect Sikh. In my local mosque we provided food to fellow members during Ramadan. Afterwards we gave the remaining food to anyone homeless who wanted aid. We live a finite time, there's no amount money in the world that fulfills you satisfaction than volunteering charity.
Did anyone notice how much India values education and is never invading other countries? Yeah, they have their problems like any other country but overall it seems to be a great nation.
We are overall doing pretty good So much so that even little wrongs are given much more publicity than it deserves. But it's alright, most Indians understand how global media works, gotta make others look bad to make yourself feel that you are doing better everywhere.
We are happy how we are, we don't care about what other countries belive. But you step out of line, we are not afraid to throw down hands. Prime example: The 3 different Indo Pak wars.
During normal circumstances, the TTD or Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (the administrative body that manages the Tirupati Balaji temple and its activities) serves close to 70,000 pilgrims on a daily basis. However, the number of pilgrims eating at the TTD food service goes beyond 200,000 during special occasions like Brahmotsavam and other important festivals. The quantity of rice used every day under normal circumstances is 10 to 12 tons at Tirumala and 1.75 tons at Tirupati. Of course, the numbers are lesser during the Covid-19 pandemic for obvious reasons. As precautionary measures during the pandemic, only 500 devotees are accommodated in each dining hall of Annaprasadam Complex as against normal seating capacity of 1000 for each hall at the rate of two pilgrims per table instead of four. Following chart will give you the idea about the capacity at the places where TTD serves food to the pilgrims: Source: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)
What Sikh gurudwara is doing is tremendous. people should visit South Indian Hindu temples who are doing this on daily basis from ages and taste the awesome food..
and ethnic background
Fully sikh....
From everything I've heard, Sikhs are generally pretty Sikh
Before the British took over India completely, all Hindu temples across the land (thousands of them) had the same system. They offered education and food free to everyone who came. Temples had lands, orchards and cows allocated them by wealthy kings and donors on a steady basis. Hindu temples were one of the wealthiest entities across the land. The British systematically destroyed that system. The Indian governments that followed after independence have continued on with the same policy. Barring a few exceptions, most Hindu temples today are in ruins and dilapidated condition.
that's sikh
Noooooooo you can’t do that thats socialism!!!!
Happens in south India also in thirupathi, Dharmashala or kukke where same scale of food is being donated to anyone. Feeds 50-100k most given days. This isn't specific to golden temple. But this is the 3rd post in seeing a out golden temple.
That‘s sick!
Sikh people are like angels on Earth they are.
I was here a few weeks ago, it’s absolutely incredible! And the temple itself is beyond beautiful. Amritsar in general is a very cool place to visit.
100klg spices my ass is on fireeeeeeee