Nor are there candles, incense, or bells, or any other ritualistic devices. 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. Gurdwaras are managed by a committee of their community. A Gurdwara is also a community centre, and offers food, shelter, and companionship to those who need it. It's a place where children learn the Sikh faith, ethics, customs, traditions and texts.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.Īlthough a Gurdwara may be called the residence of the Guru (meaning the residence of God), Sikhs believe that God is present everywhere.īefore the time of Guru Arjan Dev, the place of Sikh religious activities was known as a Dharamsala, which means place of faith. In a modern Gurdwara, the Guru is not a person but the book of Sikh scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib. The literal meaning of the Punjabi word Gurdwara is 'the residence of the Guru', or 'the door that leads to the Guru'. There are about 200 Gurdwaras in Britain. The first Gurdwara in the world was built by Guru Nanak in 1521-2 at Kartarpur. A Gurdwara is the place where Sikhs come together for congregational worship.
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