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Air, water, earth
The closing salok of Japji Sahib names air as Guru, water as father, and earth as great mother. Day and night care for the world, which plays in their lap.
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Stories and traditions in images
Sikhism
In Sikh tradition, serving others carries profound meaning. One of its best-known expressions is langar.
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Service and devotion
In a passage on ang 992 of the Guru Granth Sahib, service is presented as essential to spiritual life: without service, its fruit is not obtained, and serving the Lord is described as an excellent action. The verse concerns religious service; the image of shared work in the langar is a modern illustration, not an episode narrated in the scripture.
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Work and the portion shared
On ang 1245 of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak speaks of one who works for food and shares part of what they have. The passage says that such a person knows the path. The verse does not tell the story of a particular artisan: the image of work and sharing is a modern illustration.
Read the full storySharing a meal
Many gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship, prepare a meal open to anyone who wishes to join.
Volunteers from the community cook, serve and clean. Anyone who arrives can sit down and share the food, regardless of background or religion.
This practice is linked to the values of equality and service, often called seva. It is more than a culinary tradition.
