On April 23rd, during Sikh History Month, North Park’s Sikh Student Association (SSA) organised a Langar Day event in the school cafeteria.
Langar is a meal that is served by Sikhs to everyone who comes to the Gurudwara without any discrimination on the basis of race, colour or gender. The Langar was started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru (teacher) of the Sikhs, to eliminate the caste inequality issue at the time. Guru Nanak Ji wanted everyone to see each other as equal without any socioeconomic hierarchy. During Langar, everyone sits with each other in rows, no matter what their position in society is. That is because everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
On the day of the Langar, dishes like shahi paneer, dal makhani, naan and gulab jamun were served. A lot of students came to be a part of Langar Day. Many people also seemed to greatly appreciate the event.
“This year was the first time I have ever participated in a Langar Day event, and I had an amazing experience! The Sikh community at North Park welcomed me and the rest of the school by providing us with an opportunity to connect with one another while sharing a free meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the time to take a break from the busyness of the school day to eat together. Not to mention that the food was delicious! I hope that the North Park Sikh Student Association runs the Langar Day event for years to come,” said Ms Davies, one of the gym teachers at North Park who also attended the event.
Sukhman Kaler, one of the helpers at the event, said “It was great. It felt good helping out and giving out free food to everyone at our school. I enjoyed doing the seva. There were some complications here and there but that’s life. I think it went well for our first Langar day event after COVID-19.”
The Langar Day event was a great experience for everyone who participated in it. This event showcases some great principles of Sikhism, such as equality, community living, service, and the value of seva (selfless service).
THE NORTH STAR 