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The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India is the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism, attracting around 100,000 people for worship every day. It is also home to the largest free kitchen in the world, serving up to 100,000 meals on weekends and religious holidays. All visitors are entitled to a vegetarian meal from langar, the cuisine of the Sikh community. The temple is currently under consideration for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Commonly known as the ‘Golden Temple’, Harmandir Sahib is the spiritual center of the Sikh religion. Located in Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab, the Golden Temple is famous for its sacred pool, marble walls and gold foil domes. As the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism, it attracts around 100,000 people for worship every day, as well as many visitors. But while the structure is famous for its history and architectural beauty, it’s very special for another reason as well. Men, women and children from all socio-economic backgrounds, caste, ethnicity, nationality and faith are welcome at the Golden Temple and all visitors are entitled to a vegetarian meal from langar, the cuisine of the Sikh community. The Golden Temple langar is the largest free kitchen in the world, regularly serving 40,000 meals a day, or sometimes 100,000 on weekends and religious holidays. All gurdwaras (Sikh worship centers) have a langar, but not on anything approaching this scale. Everyone sits together on the floor to eat the simple meal of lentils, vegetables, rice and roti, which is prepared almost entirely by volunteers, carrying forward a practice that originated with the first Sikh Gurus in the 15th century.
Knowing the Golden Temple:
Under the supervision of Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru of Sikhism, the temple was built between 1581 and 1589, but was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times over the next several centuries.
The Golden Temple is currently under consideration for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Almost all of the food prepared and served in the Golden Temple is donated, or has been purchased with donations.
