This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
If preparing a Thanksgiving feast feels daunting, consider what it takes for the langar at the Golden Temple to produce the 75,000-100,000 meals made daily.
Located in Amritsar, India, the Golden Temple is a Sikh gurdwara (place of worship). Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, developed the idea of a langar, the kitchen found within many of the gurdwaras. All visitors, regardless of their age, gender, religion, or socio-economic status, are welcome to have a free meal. Since caste hierarchies were so pronounced when it was introduced over 500 years ago, it was a revolutionary concept that defied social norms.
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