317 Project: Sikh community meal shares faith, fellowship and chapatis

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The senses alight when you step into Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis — a gurdwara, or Sikh worship community — in the city’s southeast Acton neighborhood.

There’s the colorful garments and head coverings of attendees. Excited chatter in the parking lot juxtaposes with reverent whispers inside the worship room as singers perform hymns from the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib.

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And there’s the enticing smell of spices wafting into the entrance hall, warm and fragrant, beckoning hungry visitors to wander in the direction of the langar, or free community kitchen.

Attendees are encouraged to eat before they pray.

“You cannot pray if you're hungry,” said Maninder Singh Walia, spokesperson for the gurdwara.

At langar, people sit on the floor to eat and chat. The free vegetarian meal is open to everyone — even those who are not Sikh.

“Nobody (is) gonna ask you where you are from, why you are eating,” Paris Raj, a community member, said. “Everybody is equal here.”

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The Sikh community in Indianapolis is growing. On an average Sunday, as many as 500 people will stream in and out of the gurdwara.

Cooking for that many is no small feat. In the kitchen, at least a dozen volunteers char chapati, or flatbread, on the stove. A Sunday meal requires up to 34 pounds of daal (lentils), 100 pounds of sabzi (mixed vegetables) and 40 pounds of rice.

Langar aligns with one of the main beliefs of Sikhism — service to others, no matter who they are.

That goes far beyond food. Since many members of the Indianapolis Sikh community are immigrants, the gurdwara supports them when they face challenges like job issues, traffic tickets or even being stopped by the police.

And at every mealtime, someone will be there to offer food, fellowship and kindness.

“It’s always open,” said Singh Walia. “You come in at 5 p.m., the food is ready.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 317 Project: Sikh community meal shares the love — and chapatis