Photo: Hari Singh at the English language Wikipedia

By Manveer Singh
Special to The Province

Though Vaisakhi celebrations are centered on a ‘nagar kirtan’ – a religious parade in which Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text of Sikhism, circumambulates a charted route - what Canadians seem to remember most vividly from this annual event is the food.

In Vancouver and Surrey, the roads are lined with tents serving up festive goodies to all who attend. Vaisakhi is the only street event in Canada - and possibly the world, - where full meals of hot food, sweets, and refreshments are given away for free.

This literal act of feeding others is at the heart of Sikhism.

It is rooted in the concept of ‘langar’, or communal kitchen, one of which is found in every Sikh temple in the world. These fulfill a commandment for Sikhs to “vand ke chhakna”- share and nourish yourselves (by what you have earned).

This tradition which was founded by the first of the ten Sikh Gurus, Guru Nanak Dev, carries with it a social justice mission of making food accessible to all. Everything within langar halls is run on a volunteer basis.

The ingredients used to make the meal are all either donated, or purchased using money that was donated for the purpose.

From the chopping of the vegetables, to the boiling of the lentils, every step of the cooking process is run by volunteers. The food is then served to the people by volunteers, and dishes are collected, washed, and stacked by volunteers as well.

Donations to the Ross Street Temple generate approximately 350 meals a day from Monday to Friday. On weekends the number more than doubles with over 1000 meals served over Saturday and Sunday.

At the Dasmesh Darbar temple in Surrey, approximately 10,000 meals are served each week. Many of these meals are served to students, low income families, homeless people, or others who simply do not have the means to otherwise access a nutritious meal. The langar is meant to be accessible to people from every walk of life, and you do not have to be a Sikh to partake in it. The big saffron flag that can be seen flying in front of Sikh temples is a beacon of refuge, inviting anyone and everyone in need inside for a hot meal.

A big tenet of the Sikh faith is to view all human beings as one- as dictated by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Humanity is viewed as one giant family, and therefore it is our collective responsibility to ensure we create a safe space where we all can share equally and ensure no one goes hungry. Food insecurity is a rising problem - food banks in Canada report thirteen percent of Canadians live in situations where they do not have access to adequate amounts of food. Many are children.

Langar halls in Sikh temples across the country are filling some of this shortfall, quietly and with little acclaim. This Vaisakhi, when we enjoy a myriad of free dishes, let us also mark the contribution made by Sikhs across Canada in feeding the hungry. Let us also use this time of year to reach out to our neighbours, get to know one another, and lend a helping hand. If you have never been to a Sikh temple before, consider visiting one. Consider making a contribution to a food bank, or simply practice a random act of kindness towards a stranger- whatever it may be. Let us all learn to love one another and grow in harmony, pluralism, and equality.