Lentils with Love

The Golden Temple provides shelter, at a very low rate, and food for all the pilgrims that arrive at the doors. They also provide food to the locals in need, as long as they come to the temple grounds. These two groups help put nearly 100,000 people through the doors every day, and not at set meals times I should mention.

In order to maintain food service to the visitors, the Golden Temple’s kitchen staff serves meals constantly, and the ability for the temple to provide the food necessary for this amount of people is mind boggling. One might think that with food service being non-stop, and the sheer number of mouths to feed, that the quality would be subpar or that the ‘menu’ would never change. Well, fortunately this is just not true. The meals that come out of the kitchen constantly change in their ingredients, but always vegetarian in nature, and the flavor is outstanding. Served while seated on simple plates of steel, washed by hundreds of volunteers throughout the day, you are allowed to eat as much as you need, but are suggested to not be gluttonous in your intake. There are always two dishes being served, one is commonly Dal while the other is usually potato based, and you are provided with as many pieces of roti as are necessary to help to partake in your dishes.

After you finish your meal you walk outside to realize how the kitchen functions. An uncountable, well at least at a quick glance, of volunteers chop onions, crush garlic, move bags of lentils and flour to and from the store rooms, and collect the unclean dishes. Even though unguided, at least it seemed that way, the volunteers worked hand in hand like the gears of a clock.

There is real love in the lentils made here, the kind of love that reminds me of my Grandmother’s kitchen.

Here is to missing you Nana—from India with love. Brandon

Enter the Sikhs

That is pronounced Sicks for the curious among those following this little travelogue, and before you get a picture in your head, this is not a leaper colony, it is a religious group. :P

Although this is not the first experience I have had with the Sikhs, as Rahul and I haphazardly stumbled upon one of their more important temples in Chandni Chauwk earlier in our trip, it was the longest and most direct contact I have had with them.

The Sikhs are a religious group that sought to bring together the best of Muslim and Hindu beliefs. Through a combination of these religions, Guru Gobind Singh developed a religion that follows one God, does away with idol worship, removes the caste structure, and aids others to the best of their ability. After persecution from Muslim forces as they began to attack India approximately 400 years ago, a subset of the religion was formed to protect all of those who were helpless. Some modern day Sikhs still belong to this group of warriors, and the Sikh army commonly supports the Allied forces in the times of war, through which many Sikhs have become martyred.
It was this warrior-like subset that brought about the common iconography of the Sikh religion. Although business Sikhs are identified through the wearing of a head dressing, commonly found as a tightly bound turbine, the warriors maintain their look from the early days. Brandishing either a sword or polearm, wearing shorts, and maintaining well-kempt, yet excessively long beards, the warrior Sikh is hard to miss. The weapons are mostly ceremonial in nature, but represent their promise to help those in need. This is a bold way to make a statement, one that gains respect from at least this traveler.

I really respect the basic guidelines of the religion, and believe that many people could use to follow them in their lives. The major overarching rule is to help others, even if it is in some small way.

Have you helped someone today?

Punjab, in all its glory

After we left Shimla and the state of H.P., we headed towards Punjab. More specifically we were on our way to Amritsar, the home of the Golden Temple. I explain more about that in another post. If you happen to find yourself traveling in the northern states of India, this is a place I would strongly recommend visiting.

Amritsar is a city rich with history, mostly conflict related, and the state of Punjab is interestingly split between Pakistan and Hindustan (India) along the Bagha border. This border is currently the only open link between India and Pakistan. Every day at sunset, a ceremony occurs at this border that we plan on attending in the next day or two. I will keep you updated when we get a chance to head up there. I hear it is quite the show.

The people, at least for the most part, are kind-hearted, and open to travelers of their state. It was in Punjab where the fact that I was different seemingly melted away for the first time in my travels. People smiled at me before I even tried, when I greeted them they returned the favor, and several strangers approached me to strike up random conversations. It was almost as awkward in some respects as being stared at all day long, although it was a comforting awkwardness.

I hope the next day here in Amritsar is just as kind to us.