Langar, the Community Kitchen of Equality and Love

On November 16th, 2019, we held a “langar”, or the “community kitchen” at the Museum of World Religions (MWR). This event was introduced by Arvinder Singh last year who visited us from the UK. He mentioned that 2019 marks the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. So we’ve organized the first langar on a large scale here in Taiwan in memory of Guru Nanak.

My first experience of langar took place in Spain where I attended the Parliament of World’s Religions (PoWR) in 2004. The feast was led by Bhai Mohinder Singh, the chairman of GNNSJ Birmingham, UK (Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha). With a group of volunteers alongside, they offered three meals to nearly 8,000 participants. Langar is more than dining. It offers an opportunity for equality and exchange. Everyone gathered on the floor to interact and learn from one another. My second experience of langar was in India where I attended a global conference in 2007. Near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the community kitchen provides meals to 100,000 people daily and freely. It welcomes everyone all year round. It is a great example of optimal equality and love.

Langar is also a movement of sustainability where the plant-based diet is promoted. This event also resonates with our activities of “love Earth, love peace”. It is helpful in our efforts to mitigate global warming. Let’s join hands to promote a plant-based diet and environmentalism so to protect mother Earth.

For over two decades, the MWR has strived in interfaith connections. As we exchange with friends from different countries, religions, and fields, we’ve built a platform based on respect, inclusivity, and love. We welcome people of different religions to introduce the beauty of their beliefs here. We’d get to know more about one another. The MWR is like the Jewel Net of Indra where we connect with other religions. Through this langar, we’ve made more Sikh friends today. Please make yourselves at home here at the MWR. Together, we can accomplish the Realm of Avatamsaka.