Executive Briefing: Eating Together on the Floor
Institution of Langar mandates that all human beings—monarchs and outcasts, rich and poor—sit together in identical rows (*Pangat*) on the ground to eat a shared vegetarian meal prepared through selfless volunteer service (*Seva*).
1. The Abolition of Commensal Taboos
In medieval India where touching or eating with lower castes was considered ritual pollution, Langar struck at the core of caste supremacy, forcing kings like Mughal Emperor Akbar to sit on the floor alongside peasants before meeting the Guru.
2. References
- Cole, W. O., & Sambhi, P. S. (1995). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Sussex Academic Press.