Coronavirus in India: Sikh Gurdwaras in Delhi Save Millions From Hunger

As Indian authorities struggle to contain COVID-19, Delhi's Sikh community has come together to feed millions of people with food cooked every day at gurdwaras.

There are nearly 21 million Sikhs in India, making Sikhism the fourth-largest religion in the country. A pillar of Sikhism is "sewa" or service. Sikh temples, called "gurdwaras," offer free food to millions of people across the world.

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Coronavirus restrictions in place Delhi's gurdwaras were closed to the public at the end of March when India went into lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even with no devotees, gurdwara staff continued daily prayers and provided services to Delhi's needy. Last month, religious places reopened across India. As the public returned, preventive measures like temperature checks, hand sanitizers, and masks were implemented.

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Sikh community kitchens According to Sikh philosophy, the faithful should not go home empty-handed. A visit to the gurdwara offers three things — lessons from Sikh gurus, "parshad" pastry made from whole-wheat flour, and a meal from the community kitchen.

Thousands of meals prepared daily The kitchens open every day at 3a.m. to prepare meals for nearly 100,000 people. Men and women get together to cook dal (lentils), roti (Indian flatbread) and rice. Funding is provided by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and donations from Sikh devotees.

Over 20 locations served The food is then loaded onto trucks and pick-up vans to be delivered across Delhi and neighboring cities like Noida and Ghaziabad. Localities are chosen on the basis of need, usually after other forms of aid have not been delivered. Government officials and local NGOs also request thousands of meals.

Food for the needy For Sikhs, helping someone in need is considered the highest virtue. Even before the truck pulls in, people stand in long lines and wait for their daily meal. Many people are in need: young men and women, street children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Some families with no source of income, especially because of COVID-19, also receive rations that could last them week.

A well-organized process Two separate queues are formed — one for able-bodied men and another for women, the elderly and those with disabilities. The process of getting food is well organized, but in a country with over 1.3 billion people, physical distancing norms are hard to follow.

Long lines in the sun For many standing in the line, this is the only meal they will eat all day. Some even carry small packets to bring food for friends and family members who could not make it to the gurdwara's truck. For them, the langar has reached places even the government and aid organizations could not.

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-in-india-sikh-temples-in-delhi-save-millions-from-hunger/g-54156233
Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi