Nourishing the Soul At The Golden Temple

Photograph by Stephen Kent Johnson

The community langar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, one that feeds over one lakh people a day, is a marvel that needs to be experienced to be believed. New York-based photographer Stephen Kent Johnson gives us a peek into the workings of the larger-than-life cookhouse

“When I first arrived, I was struck by the physical beauty of the temple and the grounds. And then we went to the kitchens and it took things to a whole other level, a sort of pure manifestation of goodwill.”

“The scale of the place is incredible – the gigantic cooking pots, and piles of rice and garlic. There were vats of chana so large, I could have taken a bath in them!”

“Sometimes it feels like one can’t make a difference in the world, but the kitchens and the energy of those working there, felt like a concrete example of people engaging in their community to make others’ lives better.”