Allow serving of 'langar', 'parsad': SGPC chief

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Gobind Singh Longowal on Monday said they had urged the central government to review its guidelines regarding 'langar', saying the practice an 'inseparable' part of the Sikh religion.

The holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar city in Punjab and other gurdwaras were reopened for devotees as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs allowed the opening of places of worship with precautionary measures amid COVID-19 outbreak.

"We urged the government to allow offering of 'prasad' and langar (community kitchen) to the devotees as they are part of the Sikh 'rehat maryada' and an old tradition," Longowal told the media in Amritsar.

"Keeping in mind the sentiments of the Sikh community, they should be allowed," he said.

Hailing the government's decision to reopen the shrines, the SGPC chief said hygiene is being maintained in the kitchens of all gurdwaras as per guidelines of the health authorities.

Elsewhere in Punjab, people have started thronging various shrines in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and other towns since early morning. Devotees could also be seen in Chandigarh.

The SGPC, considered a mini-parliament of Sikh religious affairs, has an annual budget of nearly Rs 1,200 crore.

The SGPC, which has control over Sikh religious affairs, manages gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

( With inputs from IANS )