Swedish anthropologist studies Sikh langar tradition in multicultural Malaysia

Swedish social anthropologist Joey Belmondo (right) with his wife Fazeela Selberg Zaib (second from left) and children Pakeezah (left) and Leah at the langar.

Throughout history, food is often tied to culture, religion and identity, but one tradition has transcended these boundaries: the Sikh practice of langar, where the community kitchen of a gurdwara serves meals to people – irrespective of religion, gender, economic standing or ethnicity – for free.

Often, these kitchens are maintained and serviced by Sikh community volunteers.

For Swedish social anthropologist Joey Belmondo, this communal meal practice is a source of personal fascination that has become the subject of his academic research.

Belmondo says inclusivity is something that can be practised through sharing a meal, and one of the best ways to show this is through the Sikh langar community meal tradition.

The postgraduate student chose Malaysia as a place to study how this centuries-old Sikh practice fosters harmony in a multicultural society.

“Food has the power to unite, and the langar is a perfect example of this,” he adds, reflecting on his experiences in gurdwaras across the country.

Belmondo’s interest in the langar goes beyond academic endeavour. His personal experiences with hardship lend him a unique perspective on what it means to receive a meal prepared with dignity, respect and care.

A little back story

Volunteer Sevadar Singh making milk tea at the community kitchen of Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa in Kuala Lumpur.

Belmondo was born in France to jazz musician parents of mixed heritage – his father is French-Italian and his mother, West African-Greek. Raised as a Christian, he converted to Islam in his 20s as a university student, after years of researching various religious traditions.

Following his parents’ divorce, his family moved to New York and they were struggling financially.

“There was a year when we – my mum, younger brother and I – were homeless,” he reveals.

“We had assistance, so we were never on the streets. But I remember an incident at an emergency assistance unit in the Bronx where the food given to us was past its expiry date.”

The experience of being at the mercy of food aid left a lasting impression on him.

“This happens a lot, where the poor and needy are provided for, but they’re given leftovers or expired food that other people don’t want, and they even have to queue for it,” he says.

That is why Belmondo describes his first experience of having a langar meal in New Delhi, India, in 2015 as a “transformative moment.”

“I realised it was the most inclusive space I had ever been to,” he recalls. “It gave people a basic human need – food – for free. And it wasn’t leftovers. The vegetarian meal was freshly cooked and it was served with dignity. It was meant for everyone, whether they were rich or poor, and irrespective of race or religion,” he says.

“When I had the langar, I remembered my experience of being homeless and in need, in the United States. And that’s why I could appreciate it – because I knew how it felt to be hungry and to not have any food.”

Studying langar in Malaysia

Belmondo is studying the Sikh langar in Malaysia.

Belmondo’s academic journey led him to the University of Stockholm, Sweden, where he studied social anthropology and focused his Bachelor’s and Master’s research on the langar tradition.

He chose Malaysia for his fieldwork due to its multicultural setting, warm climate and because he felt comfortable here as someone from a mixed race and cultural background.

“Through the langar, the Sikhs put their religion into practice and serve the community through their community kitchen.”

In Malaysia, Belmondo immersed himself in the langar tradition, visiting several gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa and Gurdwara Sahib Sungai Besi (Shapha) in Kuala Lumpur and Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple in Petaling Jaya.

From chopping vegetables in the kitchen to serving meals and washing dishes afterwards, he participated in every aspect of the langar.

“It’s not just Sikhs who come to eat,” he notes. “You see people from all walks of life – from community leaders and business people, to migrant workers and university students – sharing a meal. It’s a rare space of inclusivity seen here in Malaysia, in a world that often feels so divided.”

Belmondo says the langar operates on multiple levels: orthodox (where devout Sikhs participate as a spiritual practice); cultural (where people come because it’s a longstanding tradition in their families); outsider (where people like himself, who aren’t Sikh, find a welcoming space); charitable (where the langar serves as a refuge for the poor and needy) and street (a mobile version of the langar, where Sikh groups bring meals directly to the homeless).

He is also drawn to street langars run by groups like KL Sikhs Community Services (KLSCS), who have been providing meals to the urban poor and disabled every Tuesday for the past nine years.

“It was started by two Sikh men, and without fail, they serve food every Tuesday, including kheer (rice pudding), cookies, snacks and drinks,” he explains.

Curbing hunger and poverty

Every gurdwara has a langar hall and kitchen where food is prepared for the community.

Belmondo notes that while other religious groups also engage in providing food – such as in Malaysia, the Muslims’ practice of distributing a porridge dish, bubur lambuk, at mosques during the fasting month of Ramadan, or soup kitchens run by other religious organisations – what makes the langar different is its institutionalised nature.

“The langar hall and kitchen are a must in every gurdwara, but not in other religious buildings,” he says. “It’s a fundamental pillar of the Sikh faith; they’re commanded to serve free food and it’s not an option.”

Belmondo sees potential for this model to inspire other religious communities.

“There are only approximately 100,000 Sikhs in Malaysia. Yet they have the most free kitchens in the country. I think there’s a possibility for the langar practice to inspire other faiths or organisations to provide more free food initiatives for the community. It’s one of the ways to solve the issues of hunger and poverty,” he adds.

Jespuvan at a grocery store, getting supplies for the street langar. Photo: Kuala Lumpur Sikhs Community Services

Through his study, Belmondo also aims to challenge misconceptions – both about the Sikh community and interfaith relations.

“Religion, when put into action, is a force for good,” he says.

He points out that Sikhs have been victims of hate crimes, particularly in the West. “For example, in Wisconsin in 2013, a gunman attacked a gurdwara and shot people while they were cooking langar for the community,” he recalls.

And yet, he says, langar exemplifies the best of faith-driven social service.

“When I studied langar in London, I saw Sikh volunteers taking food out in vans to feed the homeless,” he says. “Where there is a Sikh community, there is a lot of outreach and service to humanity. It’s deeply ingrained in them.”

As Belmondo continues his research, he sees langar as an evolving tradition with important lessons for today’s increasingly polarised world.

“In a time of increasing division, the idea of sitting side-by-side with strangers and sharing food is revolutionary,” he says. “It unites people and teaches us that we are all one in humanity.”

He hopes to expand his research to include other food-related religious traditions, particularly in Islam.

“As a Muslim, the practices in the month of Ramadan are of course interesting,” he says. “I’d like to do studies on the different food rituals of Ramadan, such as sahur (pre-dawn meal), iftar (breaking of fast) and even the process of fasting,” he says.

Belmondo’s journey is a testament to the power of open-minded inquiry and cultural exchange.

Through his research, he not only documents the Sikh langar tradition but also highlights its broader implications for fostering unity.

“If more people embrace the spirit of langar, I believe we’d see a more compassionate and connected world where there is mutual respect, tolerance and understanding,” he concludes.