When it comes to food, Sikhs have very simple rules
and practise to follow. There are no elaborate meal plans and no customary
rules to follow. Sikhs believe in simple eating and simple living to enjoy the
essence of life.
Although the modern Punjabi culture is seen as very
volatile, enjoying good hearty meals which includes lots of non-vegetarian
dishes and great quantity of alcohol and the recent problem with drugs epidemic
in Punjab region may make you believe that Sikhs have a very light attitude
towards them but in actuality, alcohol and drugs are completely forbidden in
Sikhism as a part of their religion.
As part of Sikhism,
only lacto-vegetarian food is served in
the Gurdwara in langar but Sikhs are not bound to be meat-free. The
general consensus is that Sikhs are free to choose whether to adopt a meat diet
or not. But Sikhs, once they become Amritdhari (baptised) via
the Amrit Sanskar (baptism ceremony), are forbidden from
eating Kutha or ritually-slaughtered
(Halal, Kosher) meat because it transgresses one of the four
restrictions in the Sikh Code of Conduct.
According to the Akal Takht (Central Body
for Sikh Temporal Affairs), Sikhs are allowed to
eat Jhatka meat. Other dietary Sikh practices include Sarbloh
Bibek, which translates literally to "all-iron lifestyle", and
consists of the use of only iron utensils.
Alcohol and drugs are frowned upon by Sikhism and is
regarded as one of the bigger sins which transcend a person on the path of sin.
Overall, Sikhism has a lax attitude when it comes to
food and it doesn’t force any eating habits on anyone, making it one of the
most relaxed religions.
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