Gurdwara: Gurdwara is the basic and primal institution of Sikhs. It is a community place for worship, where religious, cultural, and social issues of the community are discussed. It is the abode of the World ie. God and a place of congregation.
Historically, gurdwaras occupy a very important place in Sikhism and are essential for development of the Sikhs.
Agurdwarais the house of prayer, piety and probity the very core of Sikh faith. The role of a Gurdwara is to provide the Sikhs with the most intense and elevating moments of their lives and explains how they in turn extend to it their love, loyalty, wealth and devotion. Facts connected with the Sikh history:
The democratic character of the Sikh faith.
The Gurdwara as center of the religious, social, cultural and political life.
Gurdwara is identified by a Nishan Sahib (Sikh Flag of honor) which is an invitation to every human for food, shelter or clothing in regard of caste, color, creed or religion.
No one can own ‘a Gurdwara as it is a House of God (Guru da Duara). No one is authorized to lock it or demolish it. Sikh legacy is that anyone who tied desecration of Gurdwara, they
Vanished from this planet, which was permanent end of that lineage. History is witness, Indira Gandhi, Massa Rangharh, Abdali, Aurangzeb to name a few, have no trace teft in this world.
Some ignorant an egotistical people are locking up the Gurdwaras today. The Sikh world has duty to let them know the consequences before it is too late. If Sikhs did not act, this may lead into vanishing of basic institutions where Sikhism was bor. It is their decision, but some Sikhs who are enlightened will not let that happen even if they have to make Supreme sacrifices.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 12, 1993
