Located in north Delhi, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib was constructed in the 17th and enlarged in the 18th century. It was built to commemorate the stay of the eighth Sikh Guru, Har Krishan (who died here in 1664 while doing mission work during a chicken pox and cholera epidemic). Today Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is one of the most famous Sikh places of worship in Delhi.
We visited this Gurudwara at night, so exterior photos were limited by the low ambient light, but it is obviously a beautiful structure. Not evident is a large pool of water close to the entrance. Photography is not allowed inside the temple, where “the book” — a sacred Sikh text — rests.
(entrance to the Gurudwara — with a glimpse of its opulent interior)
The Gurudwara also features a kitchen wherein two free meals a day are shared with anyone who wants one. This practice is known as langar and all people, regardless of race or religion, may eat in the langar hall. The food is mostly prepared by volunteers. We arrived just as dinner preparation was wrapping up and the evening meal was about to be served. Had we wanted, we could have joined and eaten with all the others for free.
(volunteers preparing flat bread for the evening meal)
Some of the largest pots of food you’ll ever see are prepared in these kitchens. When you look at the size of the hungry crowd, it makes perfect sense.
The complex also houses a secondary school, a Museum, a library, and a hospital. I was and continue to be impressed with the charitable hearts of the Sihk people.
