Gurudwara Opens In Johannesburg

[shastarSingh]

Johannesburg: The Sikh community here has finally got its own gurudwara after an eight-year-long battle with white South African neighbors who opposed its construction.

The Johannesburg gurudwara, in the suburb of Parkmore, was officially opened Dec. 1 with hundreds of guests from the community in attendance.

Harbinder Singh Sethi, a local businessman, donated the land for the gurudwara, built at an estimated cost of 15 million rand ($1.3 million).

The new gurudwara has a prayer hall, an education center and a dining hall that will provide free vegetarian food to visitors and devotees every week. It will also be open to members of all religious communities to encourage the religious diversity of South Africa as a rainbow nation, Sethi added.

http://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/gurudwara-opens-in-johannesburg/article_f1d11996-7ad6-11e4-bcf7-6357a1cf2759.html

[Ranjeet01]

Do not know much about South African Sikhs. We are all aware of East African Sikhs but not much about South Africa. Strange since there is a large subcontintental presence there, particularly Durban.

[JagsawSingh]

Do not know much about South African Sikhs. We are all aware of East African Sikhs but not much about South Africa. Strange since there is a large subcontintental presence there, particularly Durban.

Well not so strange from the point of view that South Africa's massive 'Indian' community, like that of the Carribean islands, were imported there as semi-slaves i.e bonded indentured labourers. No matter where the Sikh went, he always went as a free and proud man, so Sikhs are usually never found in those semi-slave places. I say 'usually' because the exception here is Fiji. Among the massive Indian semi-slave community there are Sikhs but those Sikhs came much later a free soldiers of the British Army. So, in that respect, I do agree with you that it does seem a little strange that Sikh soldiers were stationed all over the world but not to South Africa. I Suppose the Boer War and its relevance to the Anglo-Sikh wars had something to do with that but strangely Rudyard Kipling, in his famous story about the Boer War 'A Sahib's War', chooses to tell it from the eyes of a Sikh from Punjab 'Umar Singh'.

[JSinghnz]

Awesome news. Thanks for sharing.

[JSinghnz]

Well not so strange from the point of view that South Africa's massive 'Indian' community, like that of the Carribean islands, were imported there as semi-slaves i.e bonded indentured labourers. No matter where the Sikh went, he always went as a free and proud man, so Sikhs are usually never found in those semi-slave places. I say 'usually' because the exception here is Fiji. Among the massive Indian semi-slave community there are Sikhs but those Sikhs came much later a free soldiers of the British Army. So, in that respect, I do agree with you that it does seem a little strange that Sikh soldiers were stationed all over the world but not to South Africa. I Suppose the Boer War and its relevance to the Anglo-Sikh wars had something to do with that but strangely Rudyard Kipling, in his famous story about the Boer War 'A Sahib's War', chooses to tell it from the eyes of a Sikh from Punjab 'Umar Singh'.

Why don't you read history before commenting here. Sikhs fought under the British as slaves and not free men.

[Jonny101]

Well not so strange from the point of view that South Africa's massive 'Indian' community, like that of the Carribean islands, were imported there as semi-slaves i.e bonded indentured labourers. No matter where the Sikh went, he always went as a free and proud man, so Sikhs are usually never found in those semi-slave places. I say 'usually' because the exception here is Fiji. Among the massive Indian semi-slave community there are Sikhs but those Sikhs came much later a free soldiers of the British Army. So, in that respect, I do agree with you that it does seem a little strange that Sikh soldiers were stationed all over the world but not to South Africa. I Suppose the Boer War and its relevance to the Anglo-Sikh wars had something to do with that but strangely Rudyard Kipling, in his famous story about the Boer War 'A Sahib's War', chooses to tell it from the eyes of a Sikh from Punjab 'Umar Singh'.

The Boers were brave soldiers with excellent fighting skills. Even the entire might of the British empire could not defeat them. It's only when the British imprisoned all the Boer women and children in concentration camps and many of them began to starve to death that the Boer men surrendered.

[JagsawSingh]

Why don't you read history before commenting here. Sikhs fought under the British as slaves and not free men.

Honestly, I think there's something seriusly wrong with you jsingnz.

You're sitting in New Zealand today not because of what some great clerking some bengali in calcutta did in some office. You're sitting there today because those brave Sikh soldiers laid the foundations for all of us to enjoy the life we have today in English speaking countries. If they had known then that a future generation would spawn an ungratfeul so and so like you I'm sure they would have thought twice.

Like my own family, who proudly served in the British Army, and with it built our Sikh name across the globe, none of them were chained, hooded and tricked into the army like slaves. Each and every one of them made their own free choice to do so. Shame on you....YOU who have done nothing for any generation....Shame on you for enjoying the life they gave to you and yet calling them slaves.

[JSinghnz]

You mean they served as proud slaves under the British. No wonder you cannot get rid of your slave mentality.

[JSinghnz]

Honestly, I think there's something seriusly wrong with you jsingnz.

You're sitting in New Zealand today not because of what some great clerking some bengali in calcutta did in some office. You're sitting there today because those brave Sikh soldiers laid the foundations for all of us to enjoy the life we have today in English speaking countries. If they had known then that a future generation would spawn an ungratfeul so and so like you I'm sure they would have thought twice.

Like my own family, who proudly served in the British Army, and with it built our Sikh name across the globe, none of them were chained, hooded and tricked into the army like slaves. Each and every one of them made their own free choice to do so. Shame on you....YOU who have done nothing for any generation....Shame on you for enjoying the life they gave to you and yet calling them slaves.

Shocking behavior by your ancestors to be proud slaves under the enemy which took our empire by deceit.

[jkvlondon]

You mean they served as proud slaves under the British. No wonder you cannot get rid of your slave mentality.

veer ji

maybe you are unaware that they fought to keep their skills up, they fought to stand upright instead of grovelling under the jackboot, later they fought to control the destiny of their homeland and to rid the world of a hateful tyrant... whatever they did , they honoured their homes, families and Guru they did not hesitate to fight on their terms and die on their terms