Should We Serve Alcohol as Guru Ka Langar?

Should we serve Alcohol as Guru Ka Lanagar?


For many celebration is a time of joy , when a moment comes in a family, when there is finally a engagement , wedding, when there is finally a child born. These are times of joy and happiness, and for most people we mark these occasions with seeking blessing from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, we not only seek blessings as a family, but use this opportunity to share with the community our joy. For some in the community. We too have attended shared there joys at weddings and sadness in funerals. So get together as a community. We get together and share langar food, it is an opportunity to meet up old friends to meet with relatives and see how children have grown.
We do this in a communal setting, Gurdwara, which means the house where the Guru resides. As we enter the Gurdwara we remove our shoes and socks why? Because we do not want to miss any opportunity of not being absorbed in the vibrations of shabads, we absorb the delights of Guru’s keertan we all our beings. We enter and bow to our Guru , why, because we seek Guru Jees blessing. We sit and listen to keertan, and delight in being given blessings by the Gani jees or do we?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/35694-should-we-serve-alcohol-guru-ka.html


Then we stand in the Ardass and are given the blessings of all the 11 Gurus and listen to the instructions of Guru Jee and are given Hukam Nam Guru Jee is all knowing and without fail perceptive. It is all a wonderful experience to be topped with further delights of purshad and delicious food in the langar hall. Well not if you are expected to go the hall next door where you will be given alcohol and meat.

This has happened and still happens, and why is it wrong?


First of all, you are graciously being given blessings, you have experienced the vibrations of Guru Shahads you feel blissful. A particular shabad was played at a programme my mind is full of celebrations, that is important ‘Man Viddiyan’ (apologises I cannot find the full shabad). My mind is congraluted, my mind that houses the 8th gate, that mind which is so important to us that we protect it constantly. That mind which will carry us across to the other side. The mind which is so important in our lives in how we choose to live our life. Oh dears of the beloved, is it not enough to have this blessing?


Is it not just fulfilling to have these precious moments?


Why dear beloved, do we then after wards have to consume alcohol? To pollute this gracious mind that we have. To many this is the experience, for many, the Gurdwara is the necessary ritual that needs to be done, before the party and fun begins. Where have we come and gone in Sikhi that we have allowed our children to be empty vessels that need fuel from alcohol, the leaders have failed us dramatically for this to be allowed and continued. The parents that toiled so hard like slaves in this country, have no happiness in there lifes that they feel the need to escape with alcohol, and to bless the community with poison of the mind. As I sat in the hall, next to the Gurdwara, where Guru Ka Langar was served with alcohol and meat, I listened to an old relative I had not seen for years, I gave her my condolences as her brother in law had died of alcohol abuse, she was not bothered, she said it was self inflicted as he had made her sisters and children life’s a misery as an alcoholic. This is very poison that we feed to the Sadh Sangat ?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=35694

‘Man Vidhidyan’ no these two things are separate and they should be kept separate. The bliss in the mind with Gurus Shabad, is not the same bliss you experience with alcohol, alcohol causes violence, causes deaths while driving, causes families to break up, keeps doctors in jobs all night with stitching people up, a job they don’t relish. This is not the blessing that our Gurus would give us, so should we be celebrating in this style?

 
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If what you describe was a wedding celebration, in a hall next to the Gurdwara set aside for social occasions, then you were not at Guru Ka Langar. You were at a wedding party. If there were no alcohol or meat, it would still be a party, not Guru Ka Langar.

It was not a wedding party, but a programme, the programme listed on the card, Guru Ka Langar would be served, which it was at the hall next door.

Ok We need that clarification. I am however suspicious that be it a programme, one can simply call something Guru ka Langar. Le t's see what the responses are like.

Why are you suspicious? It was a kurmai, to be more precise.

Kuramai is pre-engagement programme from the grooms side, where the bride family come with fruits etc..at the Gurdwara.

For my clarification? Spnadmin you believe it is acceptable to have meat and alcohol served as Guru Ka Langar??

Dear Gurukameet Ji

I respect the fact you practise abstinence and are a vegatarian.
If the party was in a separate hall and follows on from the Holy Service that's fairly normal of panjabi culture .If a man drinks one or two beers with his meal on a special occasion thats not immoral is it?But to judge others might not be even amoral. Some might drink alot but be honest,others might abstain but be less honest. Todays drinker might be an abstainer tommorow and vice versa.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=35694
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=35694
ps I love the way Admin are suspicous of misleading statements and rightly so!

OK, you are saying that to serve alcohol as Guru ka Langar is perfectly normal and not misleading because it is part of Punjabi culture??

I am a bit surprised to be honest. I think it is unlikely that SPN is supported by Guinness, but I may be wrong.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=35694

This issue I was trying to raise is it acceptable to serve alcohol as Guru Ka langar? The consensus here is that it is?

As Langar is given to everyone, regardless of gender and caste, I presume it would be acceptable as female to drink as well? But that's not part of Punjabi culture.

Dear Gurukameet Ji

No that's not what I said ,what I meant to say, sorry if it was not clear, is if it is in a separate Hall and after the Gurdwara Service ,then it should not be referred to as "Guru Ka Langar" .
Be patient there is no consensus yet ,just me trying to discuss it with you,to me even the title of this thread is misleading ,because what you have issue with is not celebrating but indulgence.