Gurdwara

A Gurdwara (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ, Gurduārā or , Gurdwārā), meaning the gateway to the guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs; however, people from all faiths, and those who do not profess any faith, are welcomed in the Sikh Gurdwara. The gurdwara has a Darbar Sahib where the current and everlasting Guru of the Sikhs, the holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a Takhat (an elevated throne) in a prominent central position. The Raagis (who sing Ragas) recite, sing and explain, the verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, in the presence of the holy congregation.

All Gurdwaras have a Langar hall, where people can eat free vegetarian food. A gurdwara may also have a library, nursery, and classroom.

A gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag. The most well-known Gurdwara is the Harmandir Sahib (popularly known as The Golden Temple) in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

History

The first gurdwara was built in Kartarpur, on the banks of Ravi River in the Punjab region by the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the year 1521. It now lies in the Narowal District of west Punjab (Pakistan). The worship centres were built as a place where Sikhs could gather to hear the guru give spiritual discourse and sing religious hymns in the praise of Waheguru. As the Sikh population continued to grow, Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh guru, introduced the word 'gurdwara'.