Which Guru institutionalized the langar?

Guru Amar Das institutionalized the langar, Sikhism’s community kitchen and shared-meal tradition.

Langar is rooted in the principle that everyone should be welcomed and fed without discrimination based on caste, class, religion, gender, or social status. Guru Nanak introduced the practice among his followers, and Guru Angad helped maintain and systematize it. Under Guru Amar Das, it became a prominent, organized institution of Sikh community life.

Guru Amar Das required visitors to eat in the langar before meeting him. This practice, known as “pangat,” placed people side by side on the floor and made social equality visible in a society shaped by caste distinctions. Even Emperor Akbar is traditionally said to have eaten in the langar before meeting the Guru.

The key distinction is between origin and institutionalization: Guru Nanak is associated with introducing langar, while Guru Amar Das is the standard answer for making it an established Sikh institution. Volunteers, called sevadars, continue to prepare and serve the meals today.