Karah Parshad
| Type | Halva |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Whole-wheat flour, butter, sugar |
 |
In Sikhism, Karah is a type of semolina halva made with equal portions of whole-wheat flour, butter, and sugar. It is offered to all visitors to the Darbar Sahib in a Gurdwara. It is regarded as food treat for attendees of gurmat seminars. As it has a very high sugar and oil content, visitors may ask the Sewadar for a small portion. As a sign of humility and respect, visitors accept the Karah sitting, with hands raised and cupped. The offering and receiving of this food is a vital part of hospitality protocols. It has the same amount of semolina, butter and sugar, to emphasise the equality of men and women.[clarification needed] The Sewadar serves it out of the same bowl to everyone in equal portions. The Karah is a food which if not accepted may be interpreted by some Sikhs as an insult. Karah is also taken at the initiation ceremony of Amrit Sanchar at the very end where it is shared out equally among all. It is a symbol showing that everyone is equal.
The Gurdwara is the place where Sikhs go to worship. Gurdwaras can be any size or shape, but one thing they always have is a kitchen, or langar. People can go there for food, and can even rest there for the night. Every day a meal is prepared here for as many people who want to eat, you can eat free here.
It is important to note that in Sikhism parshad is defined in the Guru Granth Sahib as knowledge given to a person's mind when he or she accepts truth itself to be one's teacher. This is stated as ek onkar satguru prasad preceding various stanzas in the Granth Sahib. Given this definition food cannot be considered parshad. There is no concept of blessed food in Sikhism
References
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