Washington Gurdwara Closing Down

[dholki]

Very Sad news...what can we do?

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Washington DC Gurudwara closes down

In a sad development, the one and only Gurdwara of Washington DC is closing down. The National Gurdwara in Washington DC, situated at one of the most prime locations in the USA is at the verge of closure for good.

A gloomy and depressing wave is fast overtaking the local Sangat. If this happens to the Gurdwara, which lies in the vicinity of both the White House and the Indian Consulate, close to the US Capitol, it will leave permanent scar on the pride of the Sikhs. The Gurdwara Sahib is situated on Massachusetts Avenue, a thoroughfare which houses major embassies in Washington Said Sardar Bakhshish Singh, President of the Gurdwar,a in a communique, “I want to inform the Sikh sangat all over the United States of some very sad news that the National Gurdwara, DC has been closed since last week by the gurdwara board of trustees and the chola sahib from Nishan Sahib has also been removed against the will of the sangat.” Virtually giving an SOS call, Bakhshish Singh Ji has reiterated that the Sangat beseeched and begged the Trustees to keep the Gurdwara opened but in vain.

Two months ago the nishan Sahib chola of the Gurdwara was removed and pilfered by unknown vandals and the culprits are yet to be apprehended, but this time the nishan sahib has been removed and the Gurdwara Sahib locked by the Board of Trustees themselves.

This Gurdwara Sahib was the only place for devotees to assemble. Requests were made to the Trustees to keep the Gurdwara opened for Sunday diwans and Sardar Bakhshish Singh had even offered to personally give 4,000 Dollars a month.

Sardar Shamsher Singh heading the Trustees had said that Sardar Bakhshish being the President can issue appeal to the Sikhs of USA and World to come forward to salvage the Gurdwara. It is yet to be seen how the Gurdwara can be saved from this catastrophic situation.

For details on how to help, contact Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba: [lambags@gmail.com]

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The National Gurudwara in Washington to be auctioned

The Gurudwara that was facing financial crisis in Washington is sure to go under the hammer as they are unable to pay off a loan of $2 million. Appeals have been made but nothing concrete has come forward.

THE NATIONAL Gurudwara in Washington DC, which stands close to the White House may be auctioned off if its management is not able to pay off a loan of $2 million. The National Gurudwara in America was facing a lot of financial crisis for a long time now. To get the Gurudwara out of trouble the management has offered the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take control of the Gurdwara after paying off the loan but they are yet to do that.

The representative speaker of the Gurudwara says that due to the low turn up of the devotees in the State is the real reason why this $8 million Gurudwara is facing problems. The Gurudwara was built in 2005 and in America people hardly come down to pray here. To quote the spokesperson, Gurmeet Singh, “Due to low turnout of devotees, the income of gurdwara is not enough to pay back the loan and so the management offered it to SGPC.”

Various measures have been tried out by people to save the Gurudwara. The official website of the National Gurudwara has also appealed to the people living in America to do something for the welfare of the god’s home. The postings in the website read that the National Gurudwara is in urgent need of money and if the place id auctioned off then it would be shameful for the Sikh community. However, no appeal worked and it seems that the prayer house would be auctioned off soon.

[West London Singh]

Sadly, we're gonna have to get used to this sort of thing. Its probably gonna happen alot in the coming years. We got nobody to blame for it though but ourselves (not the Washington situation specifically but all western gurdwaras generally). In every town we're in we've got got 3 gurdwaras for every one needed. Its pure folly to think this is sustainable in the long term. Then again, given the way we've cut down all the trees in Punjab, finished the water table and pesticised like pesticising is going out of fashion, we're hardy known, as a community, for being far-sighted.

[singher23]

Ahh sad news. Unfortunately I don't see there is anything we can do except to donate directly or maybe if some rich Sikhs were o come forward and pay off the loans.

That's not gonna happen though

[dholki]

I think it is a tragedy and embarassment that Sikhs settled in the richest country in the world cannot keep a Gurdwara open in the Capital city.

the prestigious location is likely to be snapped up by wealthy arabs and no doubt a mosque will be opened at the site. :blink2:

Apparently the commitee even asked the SPGC to take over the Gurdwara but that plan came to nothing.

I have contaced Sikh Channel to raise awareness on this issue.

[JSinghnz]

The Sikhs have to collectively find funds urgently to stop this from happening.

A world wide appeal to all Sikhs should be sent out to donate for this cause.

[Beginner]

Why doesn't the SGPC do soemthign!

[singh1986]

This might be controversial but I think we need a reality check! Yes a Gurdwara is closing down in a prime location but why is that even a factor? There are thousands of Sikhs around the world living in abject poverty and yet we are spending millions in keeping a Gurdwara open in long term unsustainable locations! A $2 million loan to pay off?! Why was that ever seen an acceptable loan to be taken out in the first place?!

I remember a time when Western Sikhs saved the money first then opened up Gurdwaray... started off small even! Now every couple of months I hear about a Gurdwara shutting down because they couldn't pay back the loans... and then appeals are made to donate money! How bout we donate money to the poor instead!? or some sort of long term sustainable project that will have positive affect for the Sikh community! Is someone is ready to fork out 2 million dollars!?!?!

SGPC should use the money to support Sikhi in Punjab not a Gurdwara no-one goes too!!!

[Only five]

There is more to this issue than what you are being told. Ask yourself why a 2 million dollar loan was taken out and now 7 years later that loan can't be paid? Due some real quick calculations in your head and work out the math for the 2 million over 7 years. Does the figures make sense? They don't make sense at all. Do a quick google search on this Gurdwara and you will find out the people that are running this Gurdwara are nothing more than money hungry.

The Sikh Sangat can surely save this Gurdwara from closing, but ask yourself, where this money will go truly. Not to the Gurdwara, but to the greedy families that want to control this Gurdwara, so their pockets get fatter. Some Sikhs have already offered to take the Gurdwara debt on by putting their house as collateral, but the money hungry family does not want to give it to them. This family is waiting for a bigger pay out from a bigger organization. They have already done the damage of putting a 2 million dollar debt on Satguru and made the local sangat suffer without being able to have Darshan of Maharaj. No doubt these families who are running the Gurdwara will hand over the Gurdwara to SGPC after taking what they need. And then SGPC will have to take on the 2 million dollar debt. But once it's paid off these masands will come back with the help of the legal system and once again terrorize the local sangat.

This is not the only Gurdwara that a debt is being put on Satguru and the money is being used by the committee to buy new cars for themselves, their wives, and kids.

First get these masands to step down and make legal documents stating they will never sit on the committee or have anything to do with running the Gurdwara. Then the Sikh Sangat should start bringing in the funds to get this Gurdwara re-opened.

[liveandletlive]

What has happend to the Sachkhand and Guru Granth Sahib Ji Saroops that were present in this Gurdwara?

[VanHelsingh]

The original article seems to suggest that the Gurudwara committee began the process of closing down the premises due to acts of vandalism.

Is that it? I've seen many Gurughars vandalised in the UK over the years, but they suddenly haven't shut-up-shop and closed down. I think some transparency on the issue is needed as to the financial health of the Gurudwara.