Serving the Guru’s Prashad & Langar
Siri Bhrosa Kaur Khalsa, R.N.
Administrator-Khalsa Medical Clinic
Los Angeles CA, U.S.A.
Most of us have lived in a time and place of vaccines, antibiotics and modern plumbing. We have been privileged to take it for granted that we probably wouldn't die from a communicable disease. The age of AIDS has begun to change that. The widespread concern (even hysteria) over the possibility of casual contagion of HIV is perhaps misplaced. However, other diseases are easily spread through casual contact-to name a few: giardia, shigella, salmonella, hepatitis A, the common cold, and the flu. One of the primary ways these diseases are spread is through food handling.
As Sikhs we understand the beauty of serving the Guru’s Prasad and Guruka Langar. When we do these sevas, it’s important to take the responsibility to exercise common sense and to observe basic rules of hygiene. If you’re actively sick, please don’t cook or serve Guru’s Prasad or Langar until you are healthy again. At all times, please remember to thoroughly wash your hands with hot water and soap before cooking or serving. To prevent spreading any contagious bacteria from the hands of one member of the sadh sangat to the others, don’t touch anyone’s hands when you serve prashad. When receiving prashad, keep your hands cupped wide so the server can drop the prashad into your hands without touching them. (Remember, the servers have just washed their hands, but others haven’t!)