Biggest langar to be set up in Nanded for tricentenary

Nanded, Sep 30 (UNI) The largest 'langar' (kitchen) in the world, with a provision to cater food to at least two lakh devotees per day, will be set up in the city on the occasion of celebration of the historical tricentenary function of Guru-da-Gaddi, commencing from October 7.

In all, 42 'langars' will provide food to over 10 lakh devotees, who are likely to arrive in the city soon. Of which, 27 will be on big scale while the remaining will be medium in size. The other langars are going to start in two to three days. For this, 15,000 Kar Sevaks (volunteers) have joined the work.

The practice of feeding at least one lakh devotees in a langar twice in a day, was started by an Amristar-based devotee Mr Santbaba Kashmir Singh Bhuriwale.

He has brought all utensils required for cooking from Punjab and appointed 3,100 cooks to perform this herculean task. At one time, at least 20,000 devotees can have meal, for which a pandal having an area of 40,000 sq ft has been erected in seven acres of land near Hingoli Gate in the middle of the city, which is close to the Sachakhand Gurudwara.

Mr Singh said the food will be served to every person irrespective of caste, religion or creed. Underlining a need to propagate the message of the Sikhism to treat everybody as brother and sister, he has invited all denizens to partake the 'prasad' (sacred food).

Meanwhile, the district administration has decided to provide 22,000 LPG cylinders every day to all the 42 langars. The Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation (NWMC) has resolved to provide water in addition to the other infrastructure facilities free of cost to these langars.

To provide all amenities to the devotees, the Corporation has cancelled all holidays of its employees from October 1 to November 15. They will be deployed at various camp sites to provide facilities such as water and medicines to the visiting devotees.

The administration has given a facelift to the railway station, bus station and all the government buildings also. Various buildings in the city have been decorated to welcome the devotees.

The 'langars' will to continue till November 10.

UNI XR SSS AE HT1810