The Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara is the place where Sikhs come together for congregational worship.
The first Gurdwara in the world was built by Guru Nanak in 1521-2 at Kartarpur. 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 the book of Sikh scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib.
It is the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib that gives the Gurdwara its religious status, so any building containing the book is a Gurdwara.
Although a Gurdwara may be called the residence of the Guru (meaning the residence of God), Sikhs believe that God is present everywhere.
Before the time of Guru Arjan Dev, the place of Sikh religious activities was known as a Dharamsala, which means place of faith.
The purpose of a Gurdwara
- It's a place to learn spiritual wisdom
- It's a place for religious ceremonies
- It's a place where children learn the Sikh faith, ethics, customs, traditions and texts
- A Gurdwara is also a community centre, and offers food, shelter, and companionship to those who need it.
Gurdwaras are managed by a committee of their community.
Inside the Gurdwara
There are no idols, statues, or religious pictures in a Gurdwara, because Sikhs worship only God, and they regard God as having no physical form. Nor are there candles, incense, or bells, or any other ritualistic devices.
The focus of attention, and the only object of reverence in the main hall (or Darbar Sahib) is the book of Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, which is treated with the respect that would be given to a human Guru.
The Guru Granth Sahib is kept in a room of its own during the night and carried in procession to the main hall at the start of the day's worship.
The book is placed on a raised platform (Takht or Manji Sahib, meaning "throne") under a canopy (Chanani or Palki), and covered with an expensive cloth when not being read.
During a service a person with a whisk or fan called a Chaur waves it over the Guru Granth Sahib.
Although Sikhs show reverence to the Guru Granth Sahib, their reverence is to its spiritual content (shabad) not the book itself. The book is just the visible manifestation of the shabad.
The four doors
There are four doors into a Gurdwara, known as the Door of Peace, the Door of Livelihood, the Door of Learning and the Door of Grace.
These doors are a symbol that people from all four points of the compass are welcome, and that members of all four castes are equally welcome.
There's always a light on in a Gurdwara, to show that the Guru's Light is always visible and is accessible to everyone at any time.
The free food kitchen, or Langar
Every Gurdwara has a Langar attached to it where food is served to anyone without charge. The term Langar is also used for the communal meal served at the Gurdwaras.
The food served in the Langar must be simple, so as to prevent wealthy congregations turning it into a feast that shows off their superiority.
Although Sikhs are not required to be vegetarian, only vegetarian food is served in the Gurdwaras. This ensures that any visitor to the Gurdwara, whatever the dietary restrictions of their faith, can eat in the Langar.
The meal may include chapati, dal (pulses), vegetables and rice pudding. Fish and eggs are counted as meat and excluded.
Flying the flag
Gurdwaras fly the Sikh flag outside. The flag is orange/yellow and has the Sikh emblem in the middle.