This week Religion World will take you to London, as promised we are just not covering just Hindu Temples but all places of Worship. Hence this week we will go to Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, South Hall.
Gurudwara is the religious place for Sikhs. The word Gurdwara stands for “guru – dwara” which means through or by means of guru and can also be called “the gateway to guru”. A Gurdwara always keeps its doors open for people of all religions and faiths. The objective is to find inner peace and unite with the Holy Spirit i.e. with god and the guru helps in this process of unison and achieving peace. All Gurdwaras have the holy book of Sikhs “Guru Granth Sahib Ji” placed in it which is the current guru of the Sikh religion. The origin of Sikhism and Gurdwaras started from the holy city of Amritsar, Punjab and now there are a large number of Gurdwaras all over the world where people of all religions visit and worship and today we will talk about the largest Gurudwara in foreign lands, out side India.
Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha
Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha is not just a famous Sikh temple of Southall but it is also the biggest temple in whole Europe. It is situated on Havelock Road and Park Avenue and is known to be built in 2003 by Sikh immigrants who left India in fifties and sixties and got settled in England.
The Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Southall is a beautiful imposing building, and is actually the largest Sikh temple in London. The grand building features steps leading up to the Gurdwara which opens up into a stunning entrance hall with beautiful artworks on the wall. Ceremonies such as the Milni’s are usually performed in the entrance hall. Guests can then either make their way into the dinning area for breakfast or lunch, or up the grand stairs to the halls.
There are two huge halls up the stairs where the Sikh wedding ceremonies are held, and both are stunning. Details such as a beautiful stained-glass window behind the Chanani (the canopy where the Guru sits), really makes a focal point.
One of the main objectives behind building this Gurdwara was to prevent the decline of Sikhism among the Sikhs in England. Made from granite, marble and stained glass windows along with a gilded dome, this Gurdwara can accommodate around 3000 worshippers. A two-floor gallery, a dining room and a library are few of its attractions.
Singh Sabha Southall was established to challenge the very serious decline in Sikhism among the Sikhs in England, who had emigrated in the fifties and early sixties. By the 1950’s, a significant number of Sikhs were living in Britain, and the main Congregational gathering (sangat) was at Shepherd’s Bush Gurdwara in West London. To accommodate the Southall Sikhs, the Southall Sikh Cultural Society was established in 1960.
The principal aims of the Society
- To propagate the true Sikh religion and restore it’s pristine glory.
- To edit, publish and circulate historical and religious books.
- To propagate Punjabi as the medium through writings in books, magazines and newspapers.
- To encourage reform in those who had drifted away and help them return to the Sikh Panth.
- To work with the authorities to ensure their support and association with the education policies of the Sabha.
The Group’s first Gurdwara
Sunday programmes were held at Shackleton Hall, until the move to 11 Beaconsfield Road. Soon the emigration of Malaysian and Singaporean Sikhs led to the formation of an additional group – Sri Guru Nanak Singh Sabha. The two groups remained independent until (1964) when they merged as Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall. In 1964 the group opened their first Gurdwara. It was situated at the Green; the Gurdwara also served as the headquarters of the ‘Sri Guru Singh Sabha (SGSS).
A temporary move, as Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha is prepared
In 1967, a generous loan allowed the sangat to purchase a new site at Havelock Road with a large building that had originally been a dairy. As a result of the relentless sewa by the sangat, the dairy was transformed into a Gurdwara in a matter of weeks. The Khanda was brought in April 1967 to England from the Tosha Khana at Darbar Sahib Amritsar for Amrit Parchar. From such humble beginnings Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall soon emerged as the leading Gurdwara outside of India. Sunday 29th November 1997 saw Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall move to the Park Avenue site (originally purchased in 1984). The 40 Guru Granth Sahibs arrived at the sound of Jakara’s followed by a Kirtan Darbar. The move was necessary to allow for the new building at Havelock Road.
The new gurdwara at Havelock road is now open. Today SGSS is the regular Gurdwara for nearly 30,000 people and a widely recognised representative institution for the 600,000 Sikhs in the UK and Europe.
SGSS has been involved in most issues concerning Sikhs such as precipitating an overwhelming response to the racist programmes in 1970’s in the UK to ensuring turbans and other Sikhs practices are allowed in work and social places. Sikhs in UK have successfully established themselves in many fields and have long dreamt of building an institution to reflect their growing influence, secure their children’s future and accommodate the growing number of congregations.
This new building, one of the biggest developments in Southall consolidates the present and will take us into the new century with confidence. It will also assist in the regeneration of Southall.
As well as continuing and enhancing the well established religious programmes the new building us to be able to accommodate large congregations both in the main hall (seating up to two thousand), which will be surrounded by a gallery to allow worshippers to meditate or pray in an area of solitude. Additionally there is a Multi Activity Hall (seating up to 800 worshippers) which can be used as an overflow area for Gurpurbs, marriages or other special religious functions. The langar (dining) hall will provide food to all citizens of the community seven days a week and will be able to serve as many as 20,000 meals a week, in the continuous and unique Sikh tradition, where all are welcome, (race, sex, color and creed do not matter) the food is always free and always strictly vegetarian.
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