30.000 meals

Today we have planned a relaxed day in Amritsar at the Golden temple. We are so very much impressed by this temple that we don’t mind to go back there day after day.

We have heard that they are providing free meals at the temple every day to all the pilgrims and that it is well worth visiting. So that’s were we are heading as soon as we arrive at the temple. We know there are a lot of people coming to the temple every day but are surprised to hear that they provide around 30.000!! free meals every day. That’s something you just can’t believe. Tourists are also welcome to join so we line up to get a plate at the entrance of the free kitchen. After we get our plate we walk inside the building. Enormous lines of people are on the ground enjoying their food.

We sit down on one of the roles of thin carpet and are lined up next to all the other pilgrims and visitors. We put our plates on the ground and before we know it there are volunteers to hand out some food. Time is on their hand as there are many more to serve (a couple of thousand…) We get Dahl plunched on our plates out of steal buckets, naan and a dessert made of rice and sugar. The taste is to our surprise fabulous. Even more surprising as we know in what amounts it is made. After we ate everything without using any forks, knives, spoon or whatever, we can’t wait to have a look in the kitchen. We expect the biggest kitchen in the world but when we get there we are again surprised as it is only a kitchen of 4 by 6 meter. Outside there are 6 ladies pealing the garlic and 4 men are cutting the chillies. Inside the kitchen 2 men are cooking the dahl, two men are preparing the desert, 2 men are busy with the naan and 3 men are doing…. well…. nothing we guess. Next to the building there are twenty or so people doing the dishes and it all looks organised. After every tour, the whole dining hall is cleaned and mobbed. Indians are well known for making a mess and large quantities of dahl and ricepudding are left on the floor. As soon as the place is mobbed another group enters the dining hall..

For us its time to relax and sit down next to the pond and look at the golden temple. We enjoy the chanting, the music from the temple and the pilgrims walking by. This is absolutely the place to sit, relax and watch India walk by……