JALANDHAR: Langar is synonymous with Sikhism and everyday countless eat to their heart’s content at gurdwaras across the country. The service is sustained by the “sewa” of the countless too. But gurdwaras in punjab are witnessing a trend, wherein many volunteer to serve the food but not many come forward to prepare the food. As a result, preparation of langar is either being mechanised or is being outsourced to hired labourers, including migrants.This was more true on the occasion of Gurpurab (birth anniversary) of 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh on Sunday.“Earlier, there used to be a lot of enthusiasm among people for service at gurdwaras for preparing langar, which would start early in the day. But now we don’t get many so we have to hire workers for preparing chapatis and doing other things related to the preparation of langar. We have a shortterm contract with a group of hired workers,” said Gurmit Singh Bittu, general secretary, managing committee of Gurdwara Dewan Asthaan Central Town in Jalandhar On Gurpurab, Bittu admitted that they hired seven persons for two days. According to him, most of the times, the hired persons are migrant daily wagers.“We installed a chapati making machine a few years back, as there used to be a dearth of volunteers. Earlier, women would flock to the gurdwaras early in the day to prepare chapatis, but now there appears lesser zeal for sewa. But there are plenty of volunteers still when langar is being served,” said Jagjit Singh Gaba, president of Gurdwara Nauvin Patshahi in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar.“Though at our gurdwara we don’t need to hire labourers, but community would have to pay attention to this trend and this needs to be arrested. While monetary contributions by the community members have increased, physical service is decreasing,’ he added.Kanwaljeet Singh Kochhar, general secretary of Gurdwara Singh Sabha Model Town in Jalandhar said that they hire workers if required, but mostly they make do with chapati making machine.“The trend of volunteering at gurdwaras for preparing langar has come down in the last few years and at several places in the city, including Model Town gurudwara, men or women are being hired for preparing chapatis, subzis, etc,” said former SAD district president Gurcharan Singh Channi.“I have to hire six daily wagers, who happen to be migrant labourers, for two days, as there were not many volunteers to prepare the langar,” admitted Nirmal Singh, who is looking after the preparation of langar at Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Hadiabad in Phagwara.According to him, now it was becoming a routine affair to hire workers for preparing langar.For Madan and Rohit, who were busy preparing food at the gurdwara, this was a god send opportunity. “Though we have been hired at gurdwara, we work with more dedication and enthusiasm,” they insist.

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