Over 500 meals, consisting of vegetarian samosas, rice, chickpea masala and rice pudding, were produced and distributed to seven hostels across the city on Monday (November 30).
This was part of the Sikh community’s celebrations to mark the 551st birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism - an important date in the Sikh calendar.
Last year, to mark 550 years, worshippers held a parade between the city’s two Gurdwaras on Royce Road and Newark Road, which was attended by around 700 people. With celebrations limited by the pandemic this year, worshippers from the Gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib Ji on Royce Road decided to instead find a safe way to give back to the community. Worshippers have also been using the temple for individual prayer.
The food was prepared as part of the Guru Nanak free kitchen programme, also known as langar, in which food is prepared and can be enjoyed by anyone in the community regardless of age, gender, religion, or social status. The event was put on in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund.
President of the Gurdwara, Jagdev Singh, said: “We’ve been much more limited in what we can do this year but we thought offering the free kitchen in honour of our founder was a fitting thing to do.
“We think offering these meals is good for community integration and it is vital to help those that are in need. That is especially true in these winter months and we thought the homeless were in need of and deserving of a treat.”
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1. Guru Nanak Free Kitchen
Left to right: Harprobhjot Singh, Tarlochan Singh, Jasbir Singh, Mandeep Singh, Jagtar Singh, Hardev Singh, Surinder Singh, Jagdev Singh (President)
2. Guru Nanak Free Kitchen
Harprobhjot Singh and wife Sheila Kaur making a delivery to YMCA on Wellington Street
