While most people are quick to define and treat traveling as a luxury, it’s also a priceless opportunity for you to learn and immerse in other culture. What makes traveling even more fulfilling is when you end being a tourist and begin extending a hand through volunteering.
Unlike other countries I’ve recently gone to, arriving in India told a different story. As soon as I landed in New Delhi, I passed through the disheartening sight of poverty: children fast asleep on pavements, shabby houses on stacks of iron sheets, and people scrambling over goat selling on a busy sidewalk. From then on, I knew I wanted to end that India backpacking with a purpose.

India is one of the developing countries in the world with 21.9% of its population below the national poverty line based on the 2011 statistics released by Asian Development Bank. Truly, it's a beautiful country, but because of the negative impressions attached to poverty, some travelers tend to back off with India, thinking that it’s unsafe to travel there.
On my second day in India, I visited Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, one of the largest and known gurdwaras (place of worship of Sikhism) in New Delhi. An interesting fact is that anyone is welcomed to enter a gurdwara regardless of religion and race, including access to its langar, a community kitchen preparing free food for everyone. It gets funds from community donations and works through volunteer acts.

Also read: When in India: Thoughts on Solo Female Backpacking in India

As a first-timer in a Sikh place of worship, I learned it's required to cover the hair with a scarf, remove the shoes, and wash the feet upon entrance.
Walking barefoot like the rest, I went around to observe first. Similar to other houses of worship like a temple, mosque, or church, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib has an area for prayers and teachings. Chants in Hindi could also be heard all throughout.
On one side, there’s a holy pond called the sarovar. It’s common to have this in all gurdwaras as it’s part of the religious practices to bathe and cleanse oneself.
As I passed by the group of people sitting outside the langar hall who were waiting for their turn to be fed, I entered the big kitchen and began my volunteering. Anyone can help there, even foreigners.
First, I helped in preparing the naan, a leavened flatbread which is a staple food in India. The tasks felt like baking something, though funny that I don’t bake so everything seemed new to me. I squatted on the floor as a local volunteer taught me how to do it. I kneaded the dough using a wooden rolling pin and placing flour time to time to avoid sticking. It wasn’t that hard, though the challenging part was to squat for a long time because the work area is on the ground and no low chairs were available. Nevertheless, it was all worth it.
Next, I also helped in cooking the naan. Basically, I used an iron rod to flip the naan, making sure no side got burned and then tossed the cooked ones in a big basket. It wasn’t that hard either, though the only challenge was the heat coming from the big open-air oven.
Indeed, it was a memorable first time to volunteer while traveling. After some hours in the kitchen, I saw through the glass window the rows of people eating naan. I know what I did was just a small act, but it truly felt fulfilling. It’s something I can recommend and for sure that won’t be the last.

Have you ever volunteered while abroad? Where? What did you do? Share your thoughts in the comment box below!