# Garlic Not Allowed In Langer



## vijaydeep Singh (Nov 26, 2004)

Gurfateh Ji!

Das has seen/heard that at some places garlic is not allowed in Langer,Why is it so ?

Onions are allowed.

In hindu temples both Garlic and onions are not allowed.


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## drkhalsa (Nov 26, 2004)

It is really a foolish act if it is done any where !!and it should be debated by every one at there respective gurudwara .


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## Arvind (Nov 26, 2004)

Some religions dont intake things grown underneath ground e.g. garlic. 

Garlic and Onion (with honey, I think) are said to make a person sexually active, so they abstain.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Nov 26, 2004)

vwihgurU jI Kw Kwlsw vwihgurU jI kI Piqh

According to some sants i talked to the reason for not allowing garlic and onions is that they cause GAS.... others give the reason of "underground" roots not allowed.. as they are UNCLEAN !!!!   what a reason !!!  BUT then Carrots/radishes /potatoes.....are allowed !!

I think it all just started with some "holy Cow Brahmin" too lazy to get his hands dirty with onions/garlic must have pulled a fast one on the poor Jatt Farmer and requested for some corn/wheat/ganna...and then it slowly became tradition.

It is just a baggage we carry forward from the Hindus....Garlic and Onions are one of the best Cholestrol Fighters known today......and with heart disease so prevalent any one avoiding these out of a false sense of "misplaced religious sentiments" is not doing his body  a favour....especially with all the ghee heavy degh we consume in the Gurdwara..... There is not  a single tuk in Gurbani that supports any of this hocus pocus...drop it.

Jarnail Singh


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## Amarpal (Nov 29, 2004)

Dear Vijaydeep Singh Ji,

Langar is an institution of Khalsa Panth to forge a feeling of equality. All our decisions should be to keep this in mind. 

If we want every body to eat together, then we must serve what every body can eat. I know people who cannot eat items which has garlic in it - not because of any religious reason, but because they do not like the smell or the taste. 

I know, in our gurdwara, tea with and without sugar is served, this way it serves every one. I know tea is simple, complete meal is complicated, but there is a solution to every problem.

It is important that the items that we serve in langar should include few items that every one can eat and which together makes a complete meal. This is to enable every body to eat together.

I suggest that in one item viz Daal we should not put garlic or onion or both if needed. The individuals who cannot eat items with garlic/onion can then eat chapati or rice with it which is always served in langar; such individuals need not eat the other items served in langar which have garlic/onion in them. This way we enable all to eat together and sustain our fundamentals. 

It is not important that every one in the sangat should eat each item served in langar. What is important that every one eats together, this (langer)is the anvil on which the fundamental concept of equality, an essentials ingradient of Sikhi, is forged. We should not make compromise on the fundamentals (eating together), yet be flexible on details viz garlic, onion etc.

Sikhi does not take sustenance from other religions, it is a stand alone teachings of our Guru Sahibs - Khalsa Panth does not live on comparisions. If garlic and onion is not eaten by some groups, it does not mean we Khalsas should do the same or do the opposite. If we do so, in both the cases we will be enslaving ourself to that group and loosing our own bearing. These groups may have their own reason to eat or not to eat some thing, we respect their premise of thinking but do not make it ours. It is their way not ours i.e. not of Khalsa Panth.

With love and respect for all.

Amarpal


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## SARDAR SAHIB (Nov 30, 2004)

Gurfateh Vijaydeep Singh Ji.

Garlic and onion are not used by some Hindus and Hindu Sects especially Swamy Narayan Sect for various reasons... flatulence, mouth/breath odour, arousing sexual desires and the said items are considered unclean as they grow within the soil/earth and so forth. Yet, numerous other vegetables and herbs do not fall in the same catagory - why? .. becauase Swamy Narayan founder had his own reasons to which main stream Hindus do not adhere to in their private lives. Swamy Narayan follower will not use garlic or onion in their private or " mandir" live.
As Gyani Jarnail Singh ji said... baggage we carry forward from the Hindus.. I agree.. there is no room for hocus pocus in Khalsa Panth and our so called "Sikh leaders" are too busy to appease their Masters for their own worldly good than trying to follow Guru Ji's message.





			
				vijaydeep Singh said:
			
		

> Gurfateh Ji!
> 
> Das has seen/heard that at some places garlic is not allowed in Langer,Why is it so ?
> 
> ...


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## truthseeker (Dec 2, 2004)

Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh!

From my understanding hindus dont eat garlic because of the mouth odour ect.. and that the destractions from things like garlic keep them away from GOD. But i do have one question.
What were his,Swamy Narayan founder's, other reasons for not eating garlic in and outside or the mandir?

Bhull Chuk Maff 
Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh


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## Kowlard (Apr 6, 2006)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with onions & garlic. The restrictions have a spiritual base tried & tested since Vedic period & written in scriptures. Onions & garlic are the only vegetables which are high on 'Rajasic' value ie tend to thrust 'desires', which would obviously come in way of spiritual progress. Since ages Sikhs & Vaishnavs and even today many vaishnavs from gujarat & north India avoid onion & garlic in their food. South Indian brahmins also pratice the same. Almost all the major established ancient matts & ashrams donot let onions & garlic in. And most important of all, it is the wish & command of Lord Swaminarayan for his followers Himself !!! 

Also, what Shri Amarpalji says is thoroughly correct and truly intended. It is this vastness of Sikh Sampradaya and large-heartedness of Sikh Gurus to  accomodate people of all faiths and belief. Punjab is home to Highly Divine & Holy Gurdwara's. Theres so very much common between Sikhs & Hindus (once upon a time there were never such classification made), that most feel inner urge to visit Gurdwara's atleast once in their life time. Obviously, faithfuls would have travelled a distance & in any case one would definitely wish to have 'Holy Prasad' in the langar.

Thats the beauty of Sikh Sampradaya - to care for all and unify the faithfuls of all Sikh & Hindu Sampradayas.


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## Gurmeet kaur (Apr 6, 2006)

vijaydeep Singh said:
			
		

> Gurfateh Ji!
> 
> Das has seen/heard that at some places garlic is not allowed in Langer,Why is it so ?
> 
> ...


 
This is really weird!!! garlic is absolutely harmless, infact it has more nutricious properties , it is healthy to have garlic, and if ppl think it brings bad elements in mind after eating garlic :they r foolish. its all in oyur mind if you have a clean mind nothing will disturb you. Keep your mind clean , read Guru Granth Sahib, garlic or onions dont make a difference in mind except for bad odour.


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## vijaydeep Singh (Apr 6, 2006)

Gurfateh

In past and in many Gurudwaras under traditional Sikh comunties meat is also served.

But Garlic matter was truly been there but later in front of das garlic was allowed in the Gurudwara where it was not allowed and das came to know about it.

In Nirmala Ashram due to being part of Vaishnav Akharan Parishad often onion is used but not garlic but Nirmals can eat Garlic otherwise but never meat,with excption for householders or one in Army.

But for dooing Nam Abhyas or a sort of yoga meat and many other such things are not allowed.

Banda Bahadur did send a Hukannammah telling sangat to not to eat onion or meat but Khalsa removed him.Helped moghuls to defeat him as he wanted to currupt Sikhs from his Vaishnav rituals(old Panth Prakash by Rattan Singh Bhandu,writan at the time of Ranjit Singh).

He wanted Sikhs to clean kitchen and wood also before cooking while Sikhs told him that to be in war and to be ruler ritualism does not work at all.

Das knows that Lord Rama use to hunt and so do lord Krishna also.non veg food was used by Lord Jesus and Prophet also.

Asper Manu Samrit there is share of meat to be givne to Brahimin before eating meat.So in old Sanatan Dharma it was more to do with which philsophy we follow.But jainism prohitbits root vegitables including carrot,reddish alonside onion or garlic.

They will eat leaves of redish but not root as by leaves plant will not die.


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## manjotkaur (Apr 6, 2006)

vijaydeep Singh said:
			
		

> Gurfateh Ji!
> 
> Das has seen/heard that at some places garlic is not allowed in Langer,Why is it so ?
> 
> ...


 
SSA ji

Sikh religion is most the advanced and out of all the myths. Gurus have given equal right to everyone and all food is allowed for survival , They have tried to take us out of the belief of fasting and idol worshiping .
We follow Shri guru Granth Sahib and dont for idols .
So all food is allowed nothing is barred

we have been evolved out and r above of all this 

U know for arti they say the gagan is thaal and flowers and nature is the fragnace and god had made everything beleive in him and nothing else .


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## komaLLL (Apr 6, 2006)

i am swaminaryan...
from what i know we cannot eat onion and garlic for several reasons, 1stly: HINDUISM is about meditation and focussing our minds fully on god, however, we should refrain from world desires including tastey foods, also, scientific experiments have proved that onion and garlic and other veggi's from this family i.e leeks have chemicals in them which put bad htoughts in our mind and feel anger,lust, violence. There are also other reasons but i do not know of them, i do and foolow my religion without questionning because god alwyas leads us to the right path. If we cannot eat something at the mandir, gurudwar then why eat it outside, shouldn't we abide through the same principle? why change when we leave? 

Does the guru granth sahib mention anything about eating meat? as some sikhs have toldme that eating meat is ok and what about onion and garlic?


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## vijaydeep Singh (Apr 7, 2006)

Gurfateh

As per Gurmat,we are told to high labour ie Kirat in our life.

Some food which is of high nutrition value may not be digeatble for us is we do not work and keep on sittinh and doing Yoga the whole day.

As far as Das is aware we are not told to have any restriction of food say for Halal meat and Tobbaco and any habit of intoxicants.

There are some Sakhis(Testomanies) of great Sikhs likie Baba Budha Ji,who was Brham Gyani eating onion but many people do not belive it(due to some other reason of miracle attached to it).

so for true Sikh who works hard and does physical labour,Meat or Onion does not debar Nam Abhyas or Yoga also,which may not be often needed if Gurbani is understood and life is spent as per it.


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## Archived_member2 (Apr 7, 2006)

Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakal!

Dear all!

I have heard women do not like bad odors.

Garlic is holy when garlic keeps women away.


Balbir Singh


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## Humble_Gursevak (Apr 8, 2006)

Sat Sri Akaal Veer Balbir Singh Ji, 

It is sad you are degrading the women. Women who are wife, who is your life partners, daughters who are your future, sisters your family, mothers who give birth to the future generations. Our Guru’s gave equal status to women in society but things have not changed. 

bhul chuk maff karna ji


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## Archived_member2 (Apr 8, 2006)

Satsriakal to all and Humble Gursevak Ji!

Please do not misunderstand me.

Most of the people do not like bad odors. One does not purposely irritate a friend or partner by doing something which he or she does not like.

The sentence was directed to those who boast to be holy by rejecting woman as partner or rejecting garlic.

A person does not become holy by such acts.

Holiness is accepting God's creation as it is. It is just as a perfect woman accepts her feminine intuition and garlic feels fine with its odor.

Some participants wrote garlic is not supposed to be eaten because of its bad odor and it enhances the lust for partner. This is prejudicing others.

In my view, prejudicing is not the beginning of the journey toward Truth. It is rather a hindrance.

Once a person comes to know real Simran, his nature, conscious mind and needs start changing.

He is in a situation to find out easily what he needs and what helps him establishing the reached state.

This is the reason why the Gurus never preached prepossessing.

After true Simran the Guru and His Sikh begin to smile at the same wave length.

Love.


Balbir Singh


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## Humble_Gursevak (Apr 8, 2006)

*Garlic and health* 
Garlic has long been considered a medicinal food, being used to protect against plague by monks of the Middle Ages. Hippocrates used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer, and garlic poultices were placed on wounds during World War II as an inexpensive, and apparently quite effective replacement for antibiotics, which were scarce during wartime. 
Now science is beginning to prove the medicinal properties of garlic that our ancestors took for granted. Studies have shown garlic can suppress the growth of tumors, and is a potent antioxidant good for cardiovascular health. Other studies show garlic can reduce LDL or "bad" cholesterol and is a good blood-thinning agent to avoid blood clots that could lead to heart attack or stroke. All this at only 4 calories per clove! Further information is at your fingertips by calling the Garlic Information Hotline from CornellUniversityMedicalCollege at 1-800-330-5922. 
http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa081197.htm



http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/faculty/pbird/keepingfit/ARTICLE/GARLIC.HTM

Patrick J. Bird, Ph.D. 
Keeping Fit 
Column 597
1998
*Q. Is there any truth to the medicinal claims about garlic? I am 63 years old and have been told that it can relieve just about any kind of ailment.*
*A.* Besides the mythical acclaim for warding off vampires and other evil spirits, garlic has a centuries-old reputation for its health and healing qualities. Today, this plant ranks as our most popular herbal cure-all. And it may indeed have some untapped medicinal potential. 
An analysis of five studies, reported last year in the _Annals of Internal Medicine_ indicates, for example, that eating one-half to one clove a day reduced cholesterol levels by 9%. Another study in _Circulation_, the prestigious journal sponsored by the American Heart Association, suggests that garlic may help maintain the elasticity of aging blood vessels. (Blood vessels, like old rubber bands, lose their stretchiness with time. This is why many elderly people have high blood pressure.) In the _Circulation_ study, the average garlic intake was five, 100 milligram tablets (a little less than half a medium garlic clove) a day.
Other studies have shown garlic may lower high blood pressure, retard the growth of certain bacteria, reduce the risk of breast, stomach and colon cancers, serve as a diuretic, and help in the long-term treatment of intermittent claudication (restricted leg blood flow that causes pain while walking).
Nevertheless, munching on garlic cloves or taking garlic supplements is not now being advised by the American Heart Association or any other national health organization. The reason is that appropriate experimental studies have not been conducted -- that is, long-term clinical trials where individuals are randomly assigned to consume or not consume garlic. Of the 1,000 or so garlic and health investigations to date (including those mentioned above) almost all are of the observational or questionnaire type (epidemiological) studies. Gold standard experimental studies are essential to prove the real value of a substance.
Furthermore, aside from an antibacterial compound called allicin, scientists do not know which of the many substances in garlic produce beneficial effects. They also that is, long-term clinical trials where individuals are randomly assigned to consume or not consume garlic.that is, long-term clinical trials where individuals are randomly assigned to consume or not consume garlic. do not know if there are long term negative effects from consuming large amounts of the plant (although there is no indication that there would be). Until all this is clear, health organizations will be reluctant to make any health recommendations for garlic.
In addition, there is little market control on garlic supplements. When you purchase garlic pills, you can't be sure of exactly what you are buying. These products, like other dietary supplements, are not viewed as drugs by government regulators; therefore, they are not scrutinized for content, purity or anything else so long as the manufacturers do not make health claims on the package. Consequently, the content of the pills can and does vary. One study found that the amount of garlic ingredients released by different supplement brands varied by as much as 18-fold.
*Caution.* If you regularly take medications such as aspirin or other drugs that thin the blood, see your doctor before taking garlic supplements. Garlic has anticoagulant properties.


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## Lionchild (Apr 8, 2006)

if meat and garlic was served in the past freely in langar, why do we not eat meat now adays?

Hmmmm... have we really evolved from rituals?


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## Ssingh101 (Apr 9, 2006)

When I was in Fiji, I had this debate with a few of the ladies in the kitchen of one of the Gurdwara's. I was insisting on Ardas for langar,but they were adamant that Ardas could not be done because garlic had been added to the food (not to mention the fact that very few of them had covered their heads while preparing the food). I told them that was superstitious hogwash & remained insistant. I was backed-up by the gyani,  who said that garlic is langar too. Of course the ladies did't think of arguing with him & Ardas was done.


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## Archived_member2 (Apr 9, 2006)

Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakal!
Dear All!

This story is from Indian Mythology.

A demon magically changed his outlook and sat in the row of Devtas (demigods) with a hope to receive Amrit. Amrit was the end result of churning 'Samudra' by Demons and Devtas both. Amrit was supposed to be shared exclusively by Devtas due to the pre settled churning rules.

The demon, sitting in between Sun and Moon, also received Amrit to drink. At this moment the demon was recognized.

Vishnu in the form of a beautiful Mohini, who was distributing Amrit, chopped the demon's head off with his Chakra. Amrit was still in the mouth of the demon.

The drops of Amrit fell apart on different places of earth. From one drop of Amrit earth became pregnant and gave birth to garlic.

Garlic has all the attributes of Amrit like healing etc. Garlic got the bad odor because Amrit first entered the demon's mouth.

**************

Some people are blessed to receive Amrit which comes through the true Guru's mouth.

Some others feel lucky to receive Amrit in form of garlic which comes through the demon's mouth.

Love.


Balbir Singh


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## vijaydeep Singh (Apr 9, 2006)

Gurfateh

Dear Bindy,

There are Gurudwara still around in UK  and USA with minstream.And one with Nihungs,With Afghanis or with Bhatra where meat is still in langer.

It is after induction of ritualism inn us,to make us weak to make nation and lead Sikhs and non Sikhs that colonial people planted such people who tought us to be ritualistics.

They could have taken grab of the Sikh or Sant.They told us to hate non Sikhs also.(das anyway respect the views of AKJ or Taksal).


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## 21khalsa13 (Apr 10, 2006)

21khalsa13 said:
			
		

> from what i know we cannot eat onion and garlic for several reasons, 1stly: HINDUISM is about meditation and focussing our minds fully on god, however, we should refrain from world desires including tastey foods, also, scientific experiments have proved that onion and garlic and other veggi's from this family i.e leeks have chemicals in them which put bad htoughts in our mind and feel anger,lust, violence. ''
> 
> 
> simply, doesn't matter what diet you eat.
> ...


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## sikhbacha (Apr 11, 2006)

Forget onion and Garlic..I have seen many 'SINGHS' not accepting Guru ki Deg or Guru ka Langar in Sikh Gurudwaras as it does not meet their 'Bibek' requirements.  That sounds very Brahminical and 'holier than thou'.  Any thoughts...


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## vijaydeep Singh (Apr 11, 2006)

Gurfateh
This is more a sort of mental disorder and highly infectious wwhen one Sikh say he/she is higher then other Sikh or non Sikh.


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## Lionchild (Apr 12, 2006)

vijaydeep Singh said:
			
		

> Gurfateh
> This is more a sort of mental disorder and highly infectious wwhen one Sikh say he/she is higher then other Sikh or non Sikh.



i wonder why all thse years we still full into our old human ways??

We have the greatest "manual" - Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji" (much higher) on earth, and we have the most basic religion and we still stumble.

We have a ways to go...


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