Search the Community

At the beginning of last year (2012), the Sikh Riot Awareness Facebook group posted this video of a Muslim man marrying a Sikh woman in a Gurdwara: https://www.facebook.com/Global.Sikh.Awareness/posts/347505678617592 As you can tell by the comments, most people were not pleased and were angry that this was allowed to take place. (click "view previous comments and go up to the very top). There were even girls that said it was wrong and shouldn't have happened, which surprised me, usually I only hear of men speaking out against this kind of stuff, but a lot of Sikh females were displeased as well. Someone showed me another Muslim-Sikh marriage video yesterday, this also took place in a Gurdwara. The difference? This time, the girl was Muslim and the guy was Sikh (mona). Here it is: I am just interested in seeing if there is as much outrage over this happening as there was over the last one. Ironically, the Muslim girl does a better matha thek than the Sikh girl lol. For the first video, imagine if the girl ran away with the Muslim, what would people say then? They would bash him for not even having the decency to enter a Gurdwara and respect the girl's families wishes. Say what you want, at least he had enough respect to bow down in front of Guru Ji, he might not practice Sikhi, but it does show he is open-minded, and since they got married in a Gurdwara, I doubt he made her convert to Islam. What is the difference between marrying a Muslim and a guy who is only Sikh-by-name? In neither case would that Sikh girl raise her children to practice Sikhi, so does it really make a difference? If a non-practicing member of our community, who probably knows nothing about the religion, doesn't even know how to matha thek properly, wants to marry out, what's the big deal? For the second video, again, is there any outrage? The Sikh guy is obviously not practicing, so does it make a difference if his wife is a Muslim? If he had married a Sikh girl, chances are she herself wouldn't be practicing either, so in neither case would he produce practicing Sikh children. Thoughts?

Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara, 221 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4BA will be opening this Sunday 13th December. All Sangat is requested to arrive at 10am for this great occasion. Please forward to your family and friends!

This is what a real Gurdwara should be like, providing accommodation and spiritual uplift to those in the greatest need. imagine if this could be replicated around all hospitals, medical centres etc in Punjab and other places where there is a Sikh population. http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/sewa-at-guru-s-home-prompts-them-to-embrace-sikhism/story-LbCUC4Fp5GdvDzGfu0kEIP.html Sewa at guru’s home prompts them to embrace Sikhism Tanbir Dhaliwal, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | Updated: Oct 23, 2015 09:52 IST Baptised Sikh Gopal Singh from Bihar at the gurdwara in PGI. (Gurpreet Singh/HT Photo) Share 119 Share 19 Share Share A long beard, a saffron turban and a kirpan slung across his shoulder, its khakhi strap looking distinct in the kurta — for anyone meeting him for the first time, Gopal Thakur looks like any other Sikh from the region. It’s only when he speaks that you can sense a distinct accent. The 40-year-old labourer, performing “sewa” at Gurdwara Partakh Darshan on the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) campus, came to Chandigarh from Bhagalpur district in Bihar. Admitted to the PGIMER with severe chest pain last year, Gopal took shelter at the gurdwara and started doing “sewa”. A year on, the man who came here as a Hindu is leaving as a baptised Sikh: Gopal Singh. Converted to Sikhism to lead a “dignified life”, Gopal says: “I feel good while doing ‘sewa’ at the gurdwara, and being a Singh, I am respected more.” Gopal is not the only one. Many Hindu and Dalit men, women and even children who had come to the PGIMER for treatment have converted to Sikhism during their stay here. Most are migrant workers hailing from far-flung states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir or from the neighbouring country Nepal, who take shelter at the gurdwara in absence of “sarais” for patients and their attendants. Other than free food and shelter, needy patients and their attendants are given lessons on the teachings of Sikh gurus. The gurdwara has not only changed their life but identity and outlook as well. From Devi to Kaur Anandi Devi, aka Pooja Kaur, came to the PGIMER two years back for the treatment of her son, who was hurt in an accident. “Priests at the gurdwara helped me during my difficult time and allowed me to stay here with my child. I do ‘sewa’ at the gurdwara and for it I am paid `2,000 every month,” says Pooja. Sitting in another corner of the gurdwara, 19-year-old Rajesh Kumar, who hails from Muradabad, is learning to tie a turban. “I was brought here after meeting with an accident. After undergoing treatment here, I chose to stay back at the gurdwara. Now, I am planning to embrace Sikhism,” he says. Rajinder Kumar is yet another example of a person who was touched by the love and affection received at the gurdwara. Hailing from Nepal, Rajinder came to the PGIMER way back in 1990. Today, he is settled here. “I had spine tuberculosis. The gurdwara helped me; people here gave me shelter and funded my treatment. They offered me a job. I got married in the same gurdwara and decided to convert,” says Rajinder. Teenager girl’s unfulfilled wish The youngest patient who the HT came across at the gurdwara was 14-year-old Shikha Bhardwaj from Darbhanga district in Bihar. She was suffering from uterus cancer and was undergoing treatment since January this year. Shikha had enrolled for a visit to Anandpur Sahib to embrace Sikhism and had shared her plans too: “My parents have sold all their property to fund my treatment. We do not have any other place to go. So, we stay at the here. Moreover, I feel good while doing ‘sewa’; it gives me some hope.” Unfortunately, she could not survive cancer. Baba Tarsem Singh, a “kar sevak” at the gurdwara says: “We saw that many people were getting cured by doing ‘sewa’. Many patients pray here for quick recovery. Looking at people’s faith, we thought of spreading awareness about the importance of a Guru.” The gurdwara has organised three trips to Anandpur Sahib in the last six months; wherein nearly 100 people embraced Sikhism.

Vjkk Vjkf are there any Gurdwaray in Chigwell Essex, I can't find any! Does anyone know where to get darshan in this area? Maybe if someone is doing the seva at their house even.. Closest I can find is Ilford at the moment which is difficult most days

Vjkk Vjkf Sorry this is probably not the best place to post but does anyone know if there is anywhere I can go to get darshan in chigwel Essex? Can't find any Gurdwaray local so was wondering if anyone is doing the seva at their home in the area??

A journey of Sikh Shrines of Punjab by a Singh who traveled to hundreds of Sikh shrines on his bicycle and taking pictures during his travels. Some stories can only begin with once upon a time like this little-known history of an indefatigable pilgrim, Dhanna Singh Patialvi, who travelled to every Sikh shrine in an undivided India on his humble bicycle in the 1920s and 1930s, clicking pictures and chronicling his travels. When his lost legacy eight diaries and more than 200 pictures came up for preservation at the Punjab Digital Library (PDL) in Chandigarh, Singh returned to life, 85 years later, to tell the story of the Sikh shrines as they stood in that bygone era. While many of these gurdwaras are big centres of the Sikh faith today, some have lingered on the margins and a few remain unknown. What we know about Singh is from his diaries and a brief mention in the Sikh Encyclopedia. Sarovar Panja Sahib Gurdwara:Hasan Abdal, Kaimalpur district (now in Pakistan). Clicked in April 1932. Born as Lal Singh Chahal in the early 1890s at Ghannauri village of Sangrur district, he grew up in an orphanage with his brother and later served the royal family of Patiala, taking care of the cars of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. The royal family records would have some details on him, said PDL head Davinder Pal Singh. Baptised as Dhanna Singh at Nanded in his thirties, he quit royal service to feed his hunger for travel. A devout Sikh, he bicycled to every gurdwara in India, starting in the 1920s with a trip to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal and Assam. Newspapers published the accounts of what he saw. Pind Baddo Ki Gosain Ka:Gujranwala (now in Pakistan). Other than Sikh Gurus, the place is also dedicated to the Gosain sect. Clicked in October 1933. From Wazirabad, he came to Gujarat on the April 6, 1932. His first photograph is of Takht Damdama Sahib (dedicated to the sixth Guru), where he stopped on his way from Kashmir; the second of a gurdwara in the northeast of Gujarat linked to Guru Hargobind; and the third of Shaheedi Gurdwara Fatehsar, north of Gujarat, where Singh reports that the Sikhs saved 17,000 Hindus from the cruel Muslim forces the entry translated by Mannat, a volunteer at PDL. Dhanna Singh wished the world to see these places too. So he bought a camera, an expensive proposition in those times, and learnt photography before starting his next journey across undivided Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and what is now Pakistan, said digital libray head Davinder Pal. Visiting various Sikh shrines and historical places, the pilgrim took several hundred photos, which he captioned, dated and signed meticulously, as his gift to posterity. The picture is captioned Pind Dehra Sahibji dedicated to Banda Singh Bahadur. He is also referred to as Baba Lachhman Singhji and Baba Gurbaksh Singh Shahid. It was clicked in September 1932 in Jammu. He called himself cycle yatru and he appeared in pictures with his ride twice in the 1935 edition of Phulwari, a popular magazine of that time, which recounts one of his trips to the hills. The same year, it reported that Singh, who had logged 25,000 miles on his bicycle by then, had been killed by a freak gunshot. The Sikh Encyclopedia reports that while travelling to the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP), he halted at Hasokhel village near Mir Ali in Bannu district, now in Pakistan. It was a common practice for the people in that disturbed area to keep loaded weapons by their side at night. Next morning, as the host was unloading his gun, it went off, killing Dhanna Singh on the spot. Anandpur Sahib Gurdwara Qila Anandgarh:Falling in Hoshiarpur district. Clicked in May 1934. His earlier travel notes were safe in the custody of one Seva Singh, son of the late mistri Gurbaksh Singh of Patiala, but his photographs were lost, until a family, which wishes to remain anonymous, brought these to the languages department in Patiala. The family said he had left the works with a friend for safekeeping before setting out on the final picture pilgrimage. The man behind the pictures: The rediscovered photographs of Dhanna Singh who is on his bycyle (left) which was featyred in a 1935 edition of magazine Phulwari. Some of the pictures can be seen on link below http://dailysikhupdates.com/rare-discovery-of-pictures-from-1932-from-singhs-travels-on-bicycle-in-undivided-punjab/

http://abc13.com/news/sikh-temple-destroyed-by-fire/663924/ Every other few months i read that another gurdwara has gone up in flames or been damaged by fire. What is with that? Are arsonists deliberately targeting our places of worship in religiously motivated hate crimes? Are they more accident prone due to no health and safety procedures and lack of proper management? Is there some kind of insurance scam going on? We need to resolve this issue soon as.

Dear SikhSangat ji I just came back from gurdwara, during the akhand patt for Vaisakhi, karah parsad was distributed in the middle of Japji Sahib, soon as this happened people began talking and the noise levels were such that the volume on the speakers had to be increased. As the darbar hall has an open staircase from the lower level, all you could hear was the racket coming from downstairs including children screaming and running around. There was an announcement made for quiet but didn't make much difference. I has so hurt and ashamed at this, what will become of our beautiful sikhi if people don't know how to respect our Guru ji. Seems as if people are just their for the social side of it - talking and wearing nice clothes. How can we educate people if they don't listen to the giani? Viaguruji ka khalsa, viagurji ka fateh

Hi all New here but had to come on to ask question to check on my sanity. I can't understand how gurdwaras in UK are now allowing Anand Karaj between a Sikh and Muslim to take place inside the gurdwara. Has all been forgotten and how come parents seem ok with this? I have been invited to a wedding soon and it's one of my Sikh colleagues at work who I had no idea was dating a Muslim girl. The wedding will take place in gurdwara and then they are taking off to a reception party eleswhere....needless to say I will not out of principle be going. Neither will I ever walk into that gurdwara again due to how strong I feel about this. Anyone feel the same?

The UK gurdwaras constantly ask sikhs for dasvand (10% of earnings) money. At the same time the gurdwaras and sikh organisations like BOSS claim money from the government for 'community' projects. Often they supply the government with fake receipts that are 'building' their community. None in my opinion are beneficial - is having BOSS posters really going to help you progress? Most gurdwara leaders do this to get prizes like OBE. The government is keen for 'ethinic' communities to get rid of problems like lack of education, lack of skills, integration issues and therefore they view the gurdwaras (with their mass sheep followings) as the solution to 'reach out' and educate you poor folk through the gurdwara leader. However objectively how many gurdwaras achieve this and does the work benefit people. Do you suddenly get good grades and get a good job or your parents get skills and a better job? The gurdwaras in the UK are making a profit out of the system and in the process brainwashing and scamming Sikhs. They claim money from the government through false receipts and then they will ask you for donations and make you feel guilty. They will build wedding halls and generate more money from people getting married. Many gurdwara leaders take thousands of pounds out from the pot to pay deposit for houses for themselves and their families. Also do you think giving money to the gurdwara is helping your social progression as the government views it. The government are not aware of this and when they see a huge mass of people at a gurdwara they think you are all going out to do free work for them save the nation and that the 'leader' of the gurdwara is the one who controls and teaches you. Therefore the government tries to be friends with the gurdwara leader. The gurdwara leader likes this as its closer to a prize and most people in the gurdwara will be happy and not realise that they are being sheep and adding to the numbers. I have to still see a gurdwara that has actually changed and helped increase social mobility. I would be interested to hear others views - also please can you soho road people in Birmingham stop following the Soho Road baba around. He is wasting your time, taking your money so that he can get a prize. When the government see you following him around they think he is great when actually he is getting money from both the government and you. In my opinion it is time someone independently started regulating and checking the affairs objectively of each gurdwara. I would encourage everyone to not put any money into the golak. Its far better to save that one pence and send it elsewhere. Finally is there any regulation of how a gurdwara works? As the sangat have you asked for a clear transparent honest report of all the income, funding, expenditure of your gurdwara? Do you ever get to see this, why is it normal for people to not know where the money is going and coming from?

Fatehji I wanted ask sangat ji - my job is beimg transferred to ilford - family moving so big step from south england to ilford. Had few questions... which Gurdwaras are there in ilford? What sikhi programs are there for kids/youth? Im seeing a lot if children not with sikhi saroop (internet search) so wondering is there any gurmat camps? also is there a sikhi school? Is there any shudh santhiya - taksal? If so who is ustaad of santhiya? thank uu ji

http://theasiantoday.com/article.aspx?articleId=3909

this is a bento to evryone around the southall area to vote for'Tera Panth Vasse' in the gurudwara comitee electrion, its the party for the voice of the youths, this is what we need in are gurdwara as it promises to give the power to the punj pyare and a UK takht,and will be active changing gurdwaras for the better in making gurdwaras better and will be focused on getti.g the youth back into sikhi, this is important because they are the furure of sikhi, and this is the way it should be done, and having the punj pyare in charge was the way it was done before, like bhai jugraj singh ji mentioned in his speach at the 1984 raley, this will set up a precedent for the rest of the gurdwaras in the country to follow and definetly spread sikhi, for more information you can watch the most recent videos on the basics of sikhi youtube channel. links are below: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tNmyL16kH8Y http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uWkCwN0G7kY http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=veKd6cV2VCs http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9uFAKTQijIM http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldn_jjFdqAo http://www.terapanthvasse.co.uk

Once upon a time The Gurdwara was place of worship where people went to see their Guru and find some peace of mind.....and now it place of business, where committee's find more and more new ways get Guru's Sunget to part with their money. Donation's are just not enough, they need to get as much as possible from Sunget because sorry to say Sunget have become (cash cows) for committees and Sunget hearts are so soft they keep on giving and still!, this is not enough! So they have came up with brand new idea to get even more money from Sunget, which I will posting very soon. When Guru should come first, money comes first and The Guru second, these are truly heart-breaking times. May Guru save us.

Hi quick question. Why do punjabi Sikhs believe in Shaheed's? Let me explain further... why do many punjabi Sikhs place Shaheed's on the very same platform as the Guru Granth Sahib? And devote certain days to them? Thank you

Sat Siri Akaal Sangat ji, So recently I had the Idea of travelling the world /my country . But due to my low budget ( I am still studying) I couldnt afford hotels/motels and all that stuff. So I had the Idea to just overnight for 1 night in a unfamiliar Gurdwara would it be ok ? Would the Gurdwaras (Comitees) even .allow this? Would they welcome me? I am Sikh as well and I wont do any harm to the Gurdwara etc.. its just for overnight ( i dont even need pillows or stuff like that) I would Matha Tekh and everything as usual , And what if none Sikhs would accopany me? ( The non Sikhs are good people as well.. no strangers or smth . I know them for several years) . I think in Gurus time it wouldnt be a problem, but now I am quite unsure because of the seperation of the Panth and the various Gurdwaras.. etc.. you all know what I mean. And no I am no sponge or something like that it is just really to travel some placesI never visited.. Any replys are welcome! WJKK WJKF

This is a historic Gurdwara built to commemorate the Shaheeds in the battle between 6th Guru, Guru HarGobind Sahib and Painde Khan. There is a new Gurdwara building being built, as the old one is very small. At this site the Shaheeds of this battle were cremated. This jyot marks the spot of the chikha of the Shaheeds and the tree is from Guru Ji's times: langar khana Darbar Sahib of Gurdwara: new building under construction;

VJKK VJKF Does anyone know whats going on? What the crisis is? Just read it on Akaal Tv, running along the bottom 'Norwich Gurdwara Crisis'. Thanks

what can be done to inspire more Sikh youth to the gurdwara what can be done to teach and inspire the next generation to learn sikhi if something doesn't change in 30 years in the west how many people will attend the gurdwaras and know anything about sikhi would you agree to many youth lack knowledge on sikhi

Are inside colours scheme of Gurdwara too colourful? ie when you see the main area of the temple where the Guru Granth Sahib is located. there are many sheets covering the area. in many different bright colors and patterns. I like the inside of the main Southall gurdwara as its more plain, with only one gold color. I just find to many colors to distracting. I hope i do not come across as being offensive. but whats the need for so many colours? When they show churches or jewish places of worship they seems very plain in comparison.

got good sangat at gurdwara, knew them for over 10 years but parents suddenly stopped us going reason is known.. it is my behavior, apparently its bad, but i dont think so, i helpat home,,, dont talk back etc... and my school friends at school are all muslim, no sangat at the moment haven't been gurdwara in 2 months still reading as much bani as possible teen need my sangat back, but how?

'Principal Gurbachan' the controversial missionary is booked at Park Av and Havelock Rd Gurdwara in Southall this week starting Monday (today) 21st.There are thousands of demonstrators expected. All of his previous prog. in the UK have been Cancelled due his extreme views causing a rift in the Sangat. Please call and politely ask for cancellation so that we can avoid disturbance and trouble. Park Av 0208 574 8901, Sec for Bookings 07944 903730.

Okay. I need the transliteration (and English translate please) of what the congregation says in univson after kirtan. I've been going to the gurdwara a long time now and I still have not memorized it!