What is "langar"

n. A free meal served by a religion, particularly Sikhism or Sufism.

Langar (kitchen) is the term used in the Sikh religion for the common kitchen/canteen where food is served in a Gurdwara to all the visitors, without distinction of faith, religion or background, for free.

At the langar, mostly only vegetarian food is served, to ensure that all people, regardless of their dietary restrictions, can eat as equals. The exception to vegetarian langar is when Nihangs (in India) serve meat on the occasion of Holla Mohalla, and call it Mahaprasad. But there are variations on langar, for example at Hazur Sahib, where meat is included.
Langar is also a common term used across various units in the Indian Army, when referring to a mess, especially when there is no building and the food is served in open air (or through temporary arrangements like tents).

Langar is the provision of free food to the needy in a religious context. Use of the word langar is mostly associated with a more fundamental element of Sikh religious traditions, but its origin is from Sufism ( Islam) because communal serving of food has been a rich tradition in Indian and Persian Sufism, especially of the Chishti Order. There is extensive use of free food imagery and metaphor in Sufi writings. Sugar and other sweet foods represent the sweetness of piety and community with God, while salt symbolizes purity and incorruptibility. Through the pronouncement of Bismallah during the bread-making process, the bread is imbued with spiritual power or barakat, which is shared by those who eat the bread. The transformation of the raw wheat to finished bread is used as an analogy for Sufi spiritual development.

Sufi ritual observances (dhikr) are concerned with remembrance of God through exaltation and praise. Singing, dancing, and drumming are commonly part of such rituals, as is sharing of food. For example, ashura is a dish that takes its name from the festival celebrated by the Shia sect of Islam. During preparation of the ashura, mullas stir the pot in a special way while pronouncing the name of God. Sharing the ashura then becomes a way of spreading remembrance of God in the form of bodily nourishment.

Food is served out of a massive pot called a deg in the precincts of a dargah (Sufi shrine), and is usually vegetarian. It is also actively distributed to the poor.

__NOTOC__ Langar is the practice, common to a number of Asian religions, of community eating. See

:* Langar (Sikhism)—the Sikh practice of Langar

:* Langar (Sufism)—the Sufi practice of Langar