From chapatis to pizzas: Langar menu expands in Sultanpur Lodhi

“As time changes, every concept gets changed. Same is the case with the langar’s concept. Now people are serving all those items which one could not imagine till a few years back,” said Sukhchain Singh, adding that there was no harm in serving fast-food items as there were several poor people who could not afford them.

But Gurmit Singh, who has set up a langar on Sultanpur Lodhi road, differs. “Simple living was the main philosophy of Guru Ji and we should follow that instead of spending too much delicacies,” he said.

Baba Nirmal Singh of Dhuriwale, who is also running langar here, said that people now wanted variety in the langar and “we also serve them this because our main motive is to serve people good food”. At another langar being run by Gurdwara Langar Sahib (Nanded) arrangements have been made for serving food to 1.25 lakh people daily. Here as many as 750 prepare food items daily, including 200 women who make ‘chapatis’.

But here too along with traditional food, people are being served fast food, South Indian food, as part of 40 items that are on the menu.

Baba Narinder Singh of this langar said that here they follow the philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev — ‘Naam Japo, Kirat Karo, Vand Chhako’, adding that whatever they earn is spent in feeding the needy. “There is no better service than this. There are 50 bhatian (furnaces) in our langar. 30 are functional currently, including 15 having the capacity of cooking one tonne each vegetables and pulses,” he said.

They said that daily 15 quintal ‘atta’ (wheat flour) is being used and 100 vessels are being used for cooking. Devotees can have the food of their choice on order free of cost in this langar, they added.

Cleanliness is a priority at this langar. Food is stored in six air-conditioned trucks, and food items are prepared in desi ghee and changed every three hours.

Incharge of langar’s kitchen, Inderjit Singh, said that burgers, tikkis, were also being prepared and daily five-lakh tikkis and one ton jalebi is served here. He added that nearly 25 coffee machines were installed here, and the menu included poha, upma, pizza, manchurian, sandwich, cold drinks, chaat, among other items.

“By putting langars we want to share what we earn with everyone,” he said. At all langars in the town, food is prepared round the clock and workers invite devotees through loudspeakers to come and be served.