The Sikh gurus evolved invaluable tenets which carried a universal message of equality and fraternity enshrined in practices of “langar”, “sangat” and “pangat”
Rajan Khanna
The greatness of the Indian culture lies in the fact that it retained those values which are essential for spiritual as well as temporal needs of humanity. Some of the practices conceptualised by the Sikh Gurus contributed extensively to reinforcing human values in the society and have become an inseparable part of the great Indian culture. The first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, is considered to be a social reformer of the highest order and his teachings have a universal message and can be considered as the endowment of Indian culture to the rest of humanity.
Based on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings, the subsequent Gurus further elaborated on the human values and institutionalised them. The third Guru, Guru Amar Das, started the practice of Langar (Community Meal) and since then it has become famous as Guru ka Langar.
It is important to learn about the social and political conditions at the time of Guru Amar Das when the society was content with the fulfilment of the three basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. However, with the vagaries of weather impacting
agricultural yields, round the year food supplies to the masses were not ensured. One year it could be drought which used to play havoc with the agrarian output and another year it could be flood which would ruin the crops as well.
Understandably, there were no food corporations, crop insurance schemes and government aids in those days. Even the political system was hostile. The contemporary Mughal Rulers were concerned with collecting revenue by way of Lagans from farmers and in case of crop failures, never displayed generosity of compensating the
subject. The Sikh Gurus conceptualised the tradition of Langar to fend off nature’s vagaries and ruler’s
apathy altogether.
The concept of Langar had two parts; the first one consisted of givers. The farmers and traders, who were fortunate enough to have surplus food grains, used to donate the same to Gurudwaras where the Langar was served twice a day. The second part was of the people who did not have enough food for their daily needs and they used to congregate at Gurudwaras to eat twice a day. The food served at Langars was and is still known as Prasad.
Pious Message
The pious message implicit in the institution of Langar is very important for humanity and should be incorporated as a part of the way of life. Normally, as is the human trait, the donor gets filled with a feeling of vanity and conceit while giving something to fellow humans. But when somebody gives something at the doorstep of his lord, he considers it as giving back to the Almighty from whom he has got everything. Similarly, while taking favours from others, like asking for free meals, one is filled with a feeling of inferiority complex but when food is eaten at a pious place like Gurudwara or temple, it is called Prasad and one considers himself as fortunate for eating at God’s doorstep. The tradition of Langar can be the best example of the principle of trusteeship among the humanity. The phenomenon of sharing and caring is inherent in the institution of Langar. This tradition of Indian culture can be considered as the best way of life for the global community.
The Gurus not only started a tradition of Langar in gurudwaras, they also architectured the holy places in such a way that some parts of the precincts were used for providing temporary accommodation to travellers. In bygone years when there were scarce means of transportation, it took a long time to commute from one place to the other. The Gurdwaras used to provide food, shelter and spiritual succour to the tired travellers. A very tall saffron colour flag known as Nishan Sahib keeps on fluttering outside the Gurudwaras which is visible from a long distance and acts as a beacon for travellers looking for a place.
This pious tradition of Langar is followed in all the Gurudwaras, globally. Truthfully, this is the heritage of trusteeship which has become part and parcel of the great Indian culture and reinforces the thought that everything in the world has been bestowed upon the humanity by God and by serving mankind, we are paying tribute to the Creator.
Another great principle perpetuated by the Sikh Gurus is the tradition of ‘Sangat and Pangat’. The word ‘Sangat’ means the entire society, in general, and the congregation in Gurudwaras, in particular. And the word ‘Pangat’ means sitting in a row especially while taking meals. It is highly important to understand the principle of ‘Sangat and Pangat’ not only in terms of the period it was institutionalised but in terms of its universal appeal and timeless value.
We have ancient scriptures throwing light on the fact that caste never used to be related to the birth but was reflective of the occupations people were associated with. However, with the passage of time, no one knows since when, caste became associated with birth.
Nothing more than the perverted form of casteism had done damage to this great nation, in the past and doing even now. During different intervals of time in history, social reformists emerged and tried to obliterate this stigma. The principle of ‘Sangat and Pangat’ was conceived to induce equanimity and unanimity among the masses tormented by the torturous foreign rule. The so-called Shudras were being considered as untouchables and were not allowed to drink water from the wells which were designated for the so-called upper castes only.
All Are Equal
The idea, of making all sections of society to sit together and eat, was to eliminate ill- effects of caste system from the society. Those, who were not ready to share water from wells with the so-called people belonging to the lower castes, were voluntarily sharing food with them sitting in Pangat. There was a huge blow delivered to the stigma of casteism through the principle of ‘Sangat and Pangat’.
There are historical tales about Hindu warriors cooking their foods on their individual stoves instead of the whole army eating from a common kitchen. No prizes for guessing that such insane traditions cost many a war to us and entrenched foreign rule on this land.
By perpetuating traditions and principles of ‘Sangat and Pangat’ the reformers not only dealt with a lasting blow on inhuman practices of casteism, they also gave messages of egalitarianism by trying to condense class gaps also. Rich and the poor eat the same food served in the same utensils and cooked in the same vessels in the community kitchen in Pangat arrangements. The food known as Prasad is not only eaten together by all sections irrespective of class and caste, it is cooked also jointly by men and women belonging to a cross-section of the society.
The Gurus’ message has a universal appeal. We Indians have to set an example by walking on the path shown by our great Gurus and make this world a better place to live in on the tenets of Vasudheve Kutumbkam.
(The writer is Mumbai-based columnist)
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