The Best Sikh Charity Organization In India/Uk

 

The story of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, and his father exemplifies the importance of concern for others in Sikhism. Giving to the hungry is seen as giving to God – but only if it is genuine, heartfelt giving. Giving alms to gain a hoped-for reward in the afterlife "carries no weight," as a famous verse written by Guru Nanak reminds us.

The 'langar,' a free communal eating area attached to every temple or gurdwara, exemplifies the Sikh emphasis on giving. Guru Nanak established langar in the context of a caste system in which the food of a higher caste was considered polluted by even the shadow of a lower caste passing by. The Guru insisted that everyone, rich and poor, beggar and king, sit together on the same level to eat food prepared and served by people from all walks of life. Every half hour, 3,000 free meals are served to visitors at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a gurdwara in Punjab.

The langar practice has spread to other areas of social need. During last year's severe flooding in Orissa, India, United Sikhs Charity in India set up massive food camps for the thousands who had lost their homes and livelihoods.

Sikh teachings emphasize three aspects of positive living: meditating on God, earning through one's own efforts, and sharing with others.

Reading and reflecting on the holy scriptures in a way that helps us focus on positive living rather than trivial things that can easily deflect us is what meditation entails. Earning money through one's own efforts reminds us of the importance of not begging or relying on the efforts of others if we are capable of working for ourselves. These two lessons lead us to the third and most important lesson: sharing or giving to others. Giving can take the form of money, food, or even just time.

While Sikh teachings strongly emphasize individual responsibility for poverty and distress alleviation, their primary emphasis is on prevention, or the creation of a more fair, just, and responsible world order.

UNITED SIKHS is an international, non-profit, non-governmental, humanitarian relief, education, human development, and advocacy organization affiliated with the United Nations that aims to empower those in need, particularly disadvantaged and minority communities around the world.

UNITED SIKHS believes that socially conscious groups of people who commit to developing and directing human potential can help to bring about the development of enlightened and progressive societies.