On Sunday afternoons at the Sikh temple in Queens there’s no rush to go home.
The temple in a former church on 118th Street in Richmond Hill is a center for the 55000 or so Sikhs in the New York area and is described by its of facials as the main temple in North America. On a recent visit about 2000 Sikh’s sat on the carpeted floor and listened quietly as a priest seated on a double tiered altar surrounded by brass railings and stained glass lamps explained scripture. Bearded men in turbans women wearing scarves and clothing in every color of the rainbow and shoeless children waiting for their chance to bow leave money at the foot of the altar and lower their faces to the ground for a moment.
Afterward they stayed for a vegetarian meal prepared by members of the community. Some visited a store that sells Sikh books others went to a library or socialized. Children went to class to teach Punjabi the Sikh language. Sikhs like Jews Christians and Muslims believe there is one God. Their religion founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th Century rejected the caste system. Its communal nature is reflected in the meals shared at their temples.
Jagit Singh Plangat a Long Island car dealer who is chairman of the temple in Richmond Hill said there is a steady flow of Sikhs to New York because of turmoil and discrimination in India. Many come from Punjab an important farming region in northern India.
Mangat said that two decades ago Sikh immigrants tended to be professionals “Recently a lot of young men are coming and those people are taking jobs in construction or driving taxicabs “he said.
Intensely proud of their heritage Sikhs say they also have met some discrimination in New York. One temple of official said that people have mistaken Sikhs for Iranians and Iraqis. (New York Newsday)
NEW DELHI: The Assam government is fully prepared to hold parliamentary and assembly elections on May 31 and June 3 home ministry sources said.
Security arrangements for candidates and campaigners have already been finalised.
If elections in the state are delayed beyond the first week of June the Monsoon may impede conduct of the elections the sources said.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 26, 1991
