By Laura Rhodes, Head of Net Zero & Sustainability, in conversation with
Jatinder Pannu, PhD student and Ria Nannar, BSc Psychology student
Langar on Campus
Showcasing care for people and the planet
By Laura Rhodes, Head of Net Zero & Sustainability, in conversation with
Jatinder Pannu, PhD student and Ria Nannar, BSc Psychology student
I first attended Langar on Campus last year, at a time when I was thinking a lot about what meaningful sustainability engagement should look like within a university. Sitting among the community, sharing vegetarian food and experiencing such generous, uncomplicated hospitality, I was struck by how Langar stands out as a shining example of how ideas of social justice, wellbeing, community and environmental responsibility can be lived rather than explained.
This year, wanting to understand more about the tradition( and of course enjoy the delicious food), I went along and met the team who bring Langar on Campus to Keele. I am especially grateful to Jatinder Pannu and Ria Nannar for their generosity in sharing their time, insights, and experiences.
What inspired you to bring Langar on Campus to Keele, and what did you hope the experience would offer?
Ria: We were inspired by the curiosity of the community who wanted to find out more about Sikhi and we hope that by opening our community doors to all we can share the goodness of our faith with everyone and create an atmosphere of humility and mutual respect.
Jatinder: By bringing Langar to Keele University, we offered students a welcoming space within the chapel to sit down together as equals and enjoy a warm meal with fellow students and staff members. We hoped it would offer an insight into the way of life within our Sikh community while sharing our faith and some of the values and teachings through education and practice. It ' s also a big opportunity for us to take some time out of our busy schedules to volunteer our time and perform Seva( selfless service) whether that be preparing food, organising the event or serving in the chapel.
How would you describe Langar and its significance within the Sikh tradition?
Jatinder: a community kitchen usually found in Gurdwaras all over the world serving free meals at any time of day to anyone regardless of faith, age, race or gender. Langar is made by the local community from donations and served to the community. Langar was first established by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, our first Guru( teacher), in the 15th century and promotes one of the core Sikh teachings Vand Ke Chakna( sharing one ' s wealth and resources within the community). With that in mind, Langar on Campus has been run by the Keele Sikh Society for many years along with many other Sikh societies in the UK and globally, and helps enable the selfless service( Seva) of us students and other Sikhs in the Stoke Gurdwara.
Ria: Langar is an integral aspect of Sikhi, as a free community kitchen found in every Gurdwara on the globe, where everyone regardless of religion, caste, gender, or status can eat together. This tradition is rooted in the teachings of Guru Nanak Ji, our first Guru who taught us about equality. Langar reflects our central belief that everyone is equal before God and is run by selfless service – known as seva.
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