Staff Culture Insight 5, from our amazing Playworker Jasvinder
The gurdwara (Sikh temple) is a place where sikhs come together for congregational worship. The first gurdwara in the world was built by Guru Nanak in 1521-2 at Kartapur. There are about 200 Gurdwaras in Britain. The literal meaning of the Punjabi word Gurdwara is ‘the residence of the Guru’ or ‘the door that leads to the Guru’ in a modern Gurdwara, the Guru is not a person but is called the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which is treated with the utmost respect. The Guru Granth Sahib is kept in a room of its own during the night and carried in possession to the main Hall at the start of the days worship. The Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a raise platform and it is covered when not being read.
Every gurdwara serves free langar and the community come together to provide seva to all. Everyone is welcome and only vegetarian food is permitted.
Before entering a gurdwara all visitors need to cover their heads and remove their shoes. On entering the gurdwara, Sikhs will bow to the Guru Granth Sahib and touch the floor with their forehead. They then sit on the floor with their legs crossed and listen to prayers and Kirtan
Vaisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is a spring festival which occurs around the 13 or 14 April each year. It is a day to celebrate 1699 - the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh Ji came out of a tent carrying a sword and asked if any Sikh was prepared to give his life for faith. Five men disappeared into the tent and Guru Gobind Singh came out with blood on his sword. Shortly after, the five men appeared unharmed and wearing turbans. They became the ‘Panj Piare’ (‘beloved five’) and were the first members of the Khalsa. They were baptised by Guru Gobind Singh who sprinkled them with Amrit (holy water). This ritual became the basis of the Sikh baptism ceremony.
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