Gurdwara, lit, Guru's
door, threshold, house or abode, is how the Sikhs
call a place of worship for them, although worship
is not the only activity related to a Gurdwara.
To translate Gurdwara as Sikh temple or Sikh church
is not strictly correct because Gurdwaras have neither
idols nor altars; neither ordained priests nor sacrament;
neither sacrifice not oblation; neither scared fire
nor candles except as normal lighting requirement.
Sikh form of worship, individual or congregational,
consists of recitation or singing of Gurbani, the
scriptural texts and ardas, the supplicatory prayer.
Gurdwara is a place usually for congregational worship
of God, not of Guru, in the presence of Guru Granth
Sahib, the Shabad-guru. The installation of Guru
Granth Sahib is an essential feature of Gurdwara.
Another feature is its being a public place accessible
to everyone without distinction of caste, class,
status or sex. Many Sikhs have a special room in
their respective homes where they install Guru Granth
Sahib, but such room or home is not a Gurdwara,
properly speaking, because access to the Guru there
is restricted. A building is of course necessary
to house a Gurdwara, but there is no set specification
for a Gurdwara building. It may vary from a thatched
hut to a palatial edifice. A Gurdwara can be recognized
by Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag, flying over or in
front of its building. The flag is triangular is
shape and usually saffron in color, dark-blue in
the case of Gurdwaras managed by Nihangs. Flagpost
is also covered with a sleeve of cloth in the same
color as of the flag.
Historically, Gurdwara succeeded dharmsal, lit,
abode of dharma. Guru Nanak Dev, wherever he went,
advised his followers to assemble in sangat for
congregational prayer. Sangat or sati-sangat as
an institution is considered to possess, besides
its cementing or social effect, high soteriological
merit as well as epistemological value for acquiring
higher knowledge. Theologically, sangat is meant
only for practicing nam and kirtan. To his own question,
"Which is a true sangat?" Guru Nanak Dev replies,
"One where only nam is described", and adds "the
True Guru has made it plain, O Nanak, that only
nam is the order"; Guru Ram Das says, "That one
is a true sangat where God's glory is sung or listened
to"; and Guru Arjan Dev declares "Singing of God's
glory in Holy congregation is the nobles of actions".
The place where the devotees usually congregated
was called Gurdwara. By the time of Guru Hargobind
the number of sangats had increased considerably,
and some of them had also got copies of the pothi
(the Adi Granth) compiled by Guru Arjan Dev which
they kept in their respective dharmsals. Where they
pothi was placed, therefore, began to be considered
and called the Guru's abode, Gurdwara; and after
Guru Gobind Singh, the Adi Granth really and formally
became 'the Guru so that the place where Guru Granth
Sahib was placed was properly the Guru's house,
Guru-ghar, i.e. Gurdwara. |
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