Of all the incredible travel experiences we have had over our seven family trips to India, nothing quite compares to the sense community you feel in the city of Amritsar. It is in the northwest state of Punjab, and the city is the spiritual heart of the Sikh religion. While most tourists come simply to view the breathtaking architecture (which is absolutely incredible) or to see the famous Wagah Border Ceremony, our favourite Amritsar memory to date involved volunteering at the Langar.
It was an incredibly moving, humbling experience that we all still talk about today.
Here is everything you need to know about visiting this holy site and joining in on the world’s most inspiring community kitchen.
What is the Golden Temple and the Langar?
The official name of the Golden Temple is Sri Harmandir Sahib. It is the holiest shrine in Sikhism, built as a place of worship where men and women from all walks of life, all backgrounds, and all religions can come to worship God equally.
The central temple structure is literally plated in pure gold leaf, shimmering spectacularly over a massive, sacred pool of water known as the Amrit Sarovar.
Inside the Golden Temple
Inside the temple complex is the Guru Ka Langar.
A langar is a community kitchen, and this particular one happens to be the largest free kitchen on Earth.
Every single day, completely run by volunteers, it serves hot, vegetarian meals to upwards of 100,000 people – no questions asked, completely free of charge. Everyone sits side-by-side on the floor to eat, symbolising total human equality.
The Golden Temple Langar
If you get the chance to visit the Langar at the Golden Temple while you are in Amritsar; definitely do. It is amazing to see the process and how the system for feeding this many people works.
It is incredible to meet and hear the story of some of the volunteers and staff who have been supporting the Langar for literally decades. We met one man about to retire after 35 years at the Golden Temple! (Photo with Harry below).
The Volunteer Experience: How to Get Involved
You don’t need a formal invitation, a booking, or any prior experience to start volunteering at the Langar. Anyone is welcome to walk right into the massive kitchen complex and join in.
We all had a go at making Chapati this time and Gavin spent a lot of his day in the kitchen area washing dishes with the men.
Because the scale of the operation is so staggering, the tasks are broken down into different levels of intensity, meaning there is a perfect job for everyone in the family, no matter their age.
Here are some of the different volunteer jobs you can jump into:
The Prep Circle
If you want to sit down, chat, and take things at a gentler pace, head over to the vegetable preparation areas. (Ha! Or if you are particularly good in the kitchen!).
Here, giant circles of people sit on the floor around mountains of produce. You can grab a knife or a peeler and help slice onions, peel garlic cloves, or prep ginger. It’s a cool, low-pressure way to soak in the atmosphere and smile with the locals.
The Flatbread Line (Perfect for kids!)
This is a high-energy but highly rewarding station where hundreds of chapatis (flatbreads) are rolled out and flipped onto massive hot plates every minute.
The local volunteers are incredibly patient and love seeing children get involved. We spent the most time here and went up to both floors of the chapati stations.
- Our Memory: Oscar and Harry both sat right down in the line and had a go at rolling out the dough to make chapatis. The local ladies smiled, guided their hands, and cheered them on. It’s a memory the boys will never forget!
The Heavy-Duty Dishwashing Line
If you really want to get sweaty and feel the true adrenaline of the operation, head to the cleaning courtyards. This is a fast-paced, rhythmic production line where thousands of metal plates, cups, and spoons are constantly clanging into massive water troughs. (Literally, thousands!).
Teams of volunteers scrub, rinse, and stack the dishes at lightning speed to keep up with the crowds.
- Our Memory: Gavin jumped right into the thick of it, helping alongside Harry in the men’s dishwashing line! It was loud, wet, fast, and an absolute blast – a true testament to the power of teamwork.
Share a Meal and a Hot Chai
After you’ve finished your shift volunteering at the Langar, head into the massive dining halls to share a meal yourself.
You’ll be handed a stainless-steel tray, a spoon, and a cup. You sit in long rows on the floor mats as volunteers walk past with massive buckets, ladling out delicious, freshly cooked dal (lentils), vegetable curry, and hot chapatis.
After finishing your meal, follow the crowds out to the courtyard to grab a cup of steaming, sweet, hot chai.
It is simple, authentic, and honestly one of the best meals you will have in India. Plus, it truly is incredible to see the scale and numbers of how many people share a meal and just how many volunteers there are that make that happen.
Volunteering at the Langar on Gavin’s Birthday
We’ve been to Amritsar before and really enjoyed a great tour of the Golden Temple and had seen the Langar. But on this most recent trip it was going to be Gavin’s birthday on the day we were there.
If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that we love to celebrate our birthdays with some kind of adventure to remember. And this year for Gavin’s, he had timed his birthday adventure for a memorable day volunteering at the Langar.
Exploring the Golden Temple: What Else to See
Once you are fed, take the time to truly walk around and explore the wider complex.
- The Parikrama: Walk slowly along the marble pathway that completely rings the sacred pool. The view of the golden structure reflecting into the water is beautiful.
- The Central Shrine: You can queue up along the causeway to enter the inner sanctum of the temple, where musicians continuously chant the holy scriptures (Gurbani) in a melodic rhythm.
- Visit at Night: Make sure to view the temple both during the day and again after dark when it is brilliantly illuminated against the night sky.
Our Top Recommendation
To truly understand the history, the culture, and the nuances of the temple without missing anything, we highly recommend hiring fantastic local guide, Anil Sharma (with @FeelMyCityTours).
Anil is friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and was fantastic at engaging our boys, breaking down the heavy historical context into interesting stories without ever being pushy.
- Anil Sharma
+91 97802 34705
Anil is an absolute wealth of knowledge, and he can seamlessly guide you through the complex while ensuring your visit is deeply respectful and educational.
We have been three times now to Amritsar and each time we connect with Anil! He is an awesome guide to understand the Golden Temple and volunteering at the Langar. But also get out with him and see the rest of Amritsar or go on his Food Tour! We highly recommend it all.
Getting to Amritsar
Amritsar is very well connected. You can easily fly to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport from major hubs like Delhi.
Or you can take a fast, comfortable passenger train (like the Shatabdi Express) directly from New Delhi, which takes around 6 hours.
Where to Stay in Amritsar
- Hyatt Regency: For the best stay in the city, we recommend the Hyatt Regency Amritsar. It is a beautiful hotel, a calm from the bustle of Punjab outside, has fantastic family rooms, and a great pool to relax in after a hot day of exploring.
- Budget & Local: Look for guesthouses located within walking distance of the Golden Temple’s main square if you want to be right in the action.
Getting Around in Amritsar
Navigating this city is pretty straightforward as far as Indian cities go.
For short trips around the old city and to the temple gates, jump into an open-air auto-rickshaw (always negotiate the price first, or use the Ola app). Then for longer trips out to the Wagah Border, your hotel can easily arrange a fixed-price private taxi.
Volunteer at the Langar
It is an incredibly humbling operation to consider, and it truly does feel like a privilege to get to experience such diversity of religion and culture in our journey.
If you get the chance to volunteer at the Langar, definitely do. 🙂
Planning a longer trip through India? Check out our guide to the best places to visit in India to help plan your next stop!
What is your favourite of the things to do in Amritsar? Let us know in the comments below!
Happy planning and safe travels!
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Travel Planning for India & Beyond
These are the companies we use while traveling and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia through 12Go.
- Skyscanner – Our favourite flight search engine. They can search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide – A huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Make sure you have travel insurance before further planning India and Amritsar!
Hi! I’m Sarah. I am the self-confessed dreamer, travel-schemer and the main editor behind this blog. I love to write, and it is a dream come true to share so many experiences together and inspire others in our stories.
