Langgar is a community kitchen established in Sikh temples which represents the principle of seva, or selfless service, which is highly regarded in the Sikh faith. Watch the volunteers from Central Sikh Temple come together to prepare and serve vegetarian meals to visitors from the Boon Keng neighbourhood, regardless of race, language and religion.
In Sikhism, “langgar” refers to a community kitchen and the free vegetarian meal served in the Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) to all visitors, regardless of their background or social status. It is an integral part of Sikh religious practice and represents the core principles of equality, selfless service, and communal harmony.
In this tour, Hardip Kaur will take you on a tour to meet the volunteers from Central Sikh Temple come together to prepare and serve vegetarian meals to visitors from the Boon Keng neighbourhood, regardless of race, language and religion.
Hardip will also share the key aspects of langgar and its importance in the religion. For instance, langgar embodies the principle equality, where every individual sits together and shares a meal as equals. It disregards social, economic, and religious distinctions, emphasizing the oneness of humanity. As langgar is run by volunteers or sevadars who offer their time and efforts to prepare, cook, serve, and clean up after the meals. It is considered an act of selfless service or seva, done with love and humility.
Hardip Kaur Gill is the vice chairperson of Sikh Centre, Central Sikh Gurdwara Board (CSGB). She is born and raised here in Singapore. Strongly believing in Seva (Selfless Service), Hardip devotes her time and self to the Sikh Centre frequently and volunteers in various outreach events and activities.
The Central Sikh Temple was initially established in 1912 at Queen Street. The current site at Towner Road was officially inaugurated and opened to the public in 1988 by former president Wee Kim Wee. In 1999, the authorities declared it a historical site. Apart from the main prayer hall, the Gurdwara also has an open-air fountain and other community facilities such as a Community Kitchen that cooks meals for 1000 people on weekdays and 2000 on weekends. Central Sikh Temple also has classrooms and a seminar room to better facilitate our programs. Sikh Welfare Council(SIWEC) that does tremendous community work is also housed in Central Sikh Temple.
The Central Sikh Gurdwara, the Gurdwara Sahib Silat Road and the Sikh Centre are all managed by the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board (CSGB) which runs the day-to-day operations of these religious and community sites. The CSGB also reaches out to the local Sikh community through music, weekly Langar Outreach Program(LOP) feeding 300 people and Various Children Programs.
Saturday, 19 August 2023
(excluding Eventbrite service fee)
Behind every hawker stall and shop in Chinatown Complex that has stood the test of time lies a treasure trove of stories and heartfelt experiences. These tales will come into spotlight at My Chinatown Shop Corner Gallery where historical documents, photographs and artefacts are displayed at the shop or hawker stall to tell the stories of these shops. Catch Hawker Chan’s Michelin medals, Er Gu Tang Shui’s traditional stone grinder and many others on display!
Sawadee ka! Jia Pak Buay! Get a two-for-one as we not only feast on Thanannat’s signature stir-fried crab but also her brother-in-law Jasper Leow and business partner Lucas Ding’s local favourite char kway teow!
Take a trip back in time and explore Singapore’s last kampong-style surau (an Islamic place of worship) with Ustaz Imran Khan as he shares the importance of neighbours in Islamic tradition and how the surau continues to be the focal point of community activities